Rapunzel's Gingerbread Tower

For the 3rd Annual Davis Family Gingerbread Party I decided to make Rapunzel's Tower.  This is how it turned out.  I didn't win, but I had a lot of fun doing it.  The top one is Creepy Sheldon (a.k.a. Baby Curious George) attempting to attack the tower.

A Bully in a China Shop

I frequently see articles and advertisements about making sure your kid isn't being bullied. None of them tell you what to do when your kid IS the bully!

Dutch's best friend is Bo the Wonder Dog. He hasn't spent much time with other kids. Unfortunately, he is bigger than most kids his age and even some kids older than him. When you combine his lack of social skills with his enormous size, apparently you get a bully.

Christmas day we were at Grandma and Grandpa Davis's house. Brandon, 2 1/2, and Ashlyn, 2, were the only other children besides Dutch. At one time or another in the evening Dutch pushed them both down. I was so embarrassed.

Luckily Brandon and Ashlyn were able to take care of themselves in the situation and didn't hold a grudge against Dutch. Their parents were nice about it too, but I still feel awful. How do I stop my baby from being a bully?

Fancy New Digs

My sister Heather designed my new blog background all by herself. Isn't it awesome?

A Blue Christmas

I'll have a blue Christmas without you.
I'll be so blue thinking about you.
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree,
Won't mean a thing if you're not here with me.

My three sisters, at one time or another this Christmas season, have each been struck by an unexplainable melancholy. Well, perhaps it's not unexplainable. We miss each other. I hadn't suffered from this at all. Until tonight.

I was sitting at the dinner table at Grandma and Grandpa Morgan's house and someone observed that it was the first time everyone had been together for Christmas for a few years. For some reason this made me want to cry. I don't remember the last time my entire family was all together for Christmas. If I'm not completely mistaken, I think it was when I was 10 years old.

Not all families are close like mine is. Not all sisters love each other like mine do. Some people dread family events. I never have. So I make a Christmas wish right now: I wish I had one more Christmas with my entire family. Just one.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Dutch, Christmas 2008

May your Christmas be as bright and cheerful as Dutch's smile!

A Plethora of Fluids

This week I have been snotted on, drooled on, peed on, thrown up on, and (today) pooped on. Dutch has been sick and has been secreting fluid from every orifice. It has not been pleasant. I hope you are having a better week.


I'm grateful for: tissues, baby bathtubs, washing machines, orange juice, sanity

Get Comfortable

I have a lot to post about, so go grab some cocoa and a blanket and curl up next to your computer as I tell you the story of the last week.

Dutch and I left Pennsylvania on Wednesday, bright and early. We flew from Pittsburgh to Phoenix, from Phoenix to Pittsburgh. I don't think it would be exaggerating in any way to say that it was the worst day of my life. Dutch threw tantrum after tantrum, hurling things around, and bit me... three times... twice on the face... once drawing blood. It was so difficult I just broke down and cried. I was obviously not meant to be a single mom. Without Chris everything was about 10 times harder than it needed to be. Lucky for me (and Dutch, since I was close to killing him), he slept the entire hour flight from Phoenix to Salt Lake. When we got to the airport he was very excited to see Grandpa Greg and went right to him.

The next couple of days were sort of a blur of tiredness and naughtiness. Dutch was not sleeping or napping as he should, because he missed his Daddy and his Bo-Bo. He was wary around Uncle Joshy, but is in love with Josh's girlfriend Dawn. Every time he sees her his face lights up. Thanks to flying with a bunch of sick people Dutch and I both got colds, again. He's almost over his whereas mine seems to be getting worse instead of better.

Saturday Dutch went to a live nativity and got to see a camel, ride a wagon pulled by horses, and get his picture taken. Although he doesn't seem too enthused in the picture I think he had a good time.

Today was the biggest news though. At our church there is something called Nursery where children from 18 months to 3 years go so their parents can enjoy church a little more. Dutch is only 17 1/2 months, but the sweet girl who runs Nursery said he was welcome to come. Grandpa Greg took him and snuck out part way through. Dutch stayed the whole time and didn't even cry! When I went to pick him up he was fast asleep. I was such a proud mama. My little baby is growing up!

In other news, Zaque and Chris have been driving cross-country the past few days, and are planning on arriving tomorrow night. The weather has been good, the truck has run well and they are having a good time together.

Some of you may know that Bo, our blind chocolate lab, suffered from abuse before we rescued him. One sign of this abuse is his extreme fear of being abandoned. Every time we move he gets so panicked that he won't eat. This time has been no exception. Chris said he wouldn't even get out of the moving truck for the first day they were on the road. Poor Bo.

Dutch is walking up a storm! He's been practicing running and even climbed up the basement stairs, although he hasn't been brave enough to try going down yet. Whack the Cat has been incredibly patient with Dutch, and this has encouraged Dutch to chase him down and "love" on him as often as possible. So far he hasn't gottten scratched, but if he continues being as rough as he's been I'm sure he'll get clawed eventually.

That's our update. Now that life is starting to mellow out I'll hope to post a little more often.


I'm grateful for: NyQuil, DayQuil, cough drops, tissues, naps

Busy Busy Bees

The blog as fallen by the wayside the past few weeks because we've been busy packing and getting things ready to move to Utah. Dutch and I fly out on Wednesday. Chris and his little brother Zaque are driving our stuff back in the big truck and they leave Friday morning. It seems strange that 2 years have passed already. When we moved here I was pregnant, we were both starting graduate school and everything seemed so scary. Now that I'm at the other end I realize that every change in life is a little scary, even if you're going back to the people and places that are familiar. Anyway, the blog will updated when Chris or I can get to it, but don't expect anything in-depth for a few weeks yet.


I'm grateful for: permanent marker, packing tape, fabulous boxes, orange juice, throat lozenges

Walking

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Happy Birthday Heidi!

These are of me with my sister Heidi.
I love her.
It is her birthday today and she has one more year before she's an old lady.

A Melody in the Morning

Dutch is not like most children. I am reminded of this all the time when I look at my friends' blogs and see how different their kids are from mine. One way that Dutch is a little different is the way he wakes up. Yes, sometimes he cries like a normal baby, but most mornings he wakes up "singing." This morning I woke up to him singing me an aria, "Ah-ah-AH-ah" over and over again. It made me laugh and made it easier to get out of bed.

Happy Birthday Luke!

I can't believe you're 2 years old already!
Happy birthday!

Merry Thanks-mas

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A List for Tuesday

Five Thanksgiving Foods I Don't Really Care For:

1. Turkey
2. Stuffing
3. Cranberry sauce
4. Pumpkin pie
5. Mashed potatoes


I'm grateful for: naps, ibuprofen, ideas, deodorant, little red notebooks

Playing with Ashlyn

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FINALLY!

Just two seconds ago I looked up and our little Dutchie was walking across the room! He had the most devilish look on his face. Took his own sweet time, but he finally did it!

Chris When He Was a Kid

This is a story my mom-in-law told us last month and I just wanted to share it with you guys.

I don't remember how old Chris was, but I think he was 3 or 4. He and his mom were at the pediatrician's office and the doctor asked Chris if he would like something to drink.

"I'd like a root beer," Chris said. "And my penis wants an orange."


I'm grateful for: family, movies, books, milk, curious babies

A List for Tuesday

Dutch's Daily Ritual in Five Easy Steps:

1. Climb up into the green chair.
2. Push the cushion off of the green chair.
3. Body-slam into the cushion now on the floor.
4. Find a book.
5. Sit on the cushion and read the book.

Dutch has been doing this daily since he first realized the cushion was removable. He and Bo sometimes play "King of the Cushion" and fight over who gets to lay on it. It's pretty dang cute.


I'm grateful for: cardigans, magazines for Dutch to tear apart, slippers, pillows, Christmas candy

A Bad Influence

I think Chris is a bad influence on Dutch. The other day they were playing the oh so popular game "Put-the-Empty-Toy-Bucket-On-Daddy's-Head." Now all Dutch wants to do is empty his toy bucket all over the floor and put it on his head, or, heaven help me, my head.

Also, and this has nothing to do with Chris's influence, Dutch performed a miracle today. He was somehow able to get his pajama pants off while keeping his shoes on. These were tight pajama pants and soft shoes, so logic would say if the pants came off the shoes should too. Like I said, a miracle.

Lastly, Dutch and I will be leaving Murrysville forever on December 9th when we fly to Utah.


I'm grateful for: fruit snacks, headbands, naps, little red notebooks, lists

Walking with the Firetruck

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A Little Help

I need some help. My baby has taken to self-torture. When he gets angry (and sometimes even when he's not) he bashes his head against the wall or door or floor. Today he gave himself a huge goose-egg on his forehead after beating it against the hardwood repeatedly.

What do I do?

Commencement Update

I DO get a ceremony, albeit a small one. But small is better than nothing! There are three of us graduating in total and we are each taking part in the ceremony. Meg is saying the prayer (this is a Catholic school, remember), Michelle is putting together the student bios, and I am giving the commencement speech.

Anyway, graduation is January 13th, which is a Wednesday. Don't worry, I don't expect you to come, but I DO expect congratulations when I am the first one in our little family to have a Master's. I'll have Chris record the ceremony and post it on the blog; it really will be that short. Anyway, just wanted to let you guys all know the great news.


I'm grateful for: good music, Gerber onesies, new tubes of mascara, cheese sticks, headbands

New Winter Coat

A List for Tuesday

5 things Dutch did with his cousin Ashlyn:

1. Followed her around, amazed by her ability to walk
2. Had a tea party
3. Played in the play kitchen
4. Went to the aquarium
5. Laughed when Aunt Holly "ate" their ribs for lunch

Zak's Homecoming

Playing the Piano

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Your Medicare Dollars at Work

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Dutch and Great-Grandma Davis

Who's Who in the Airport

Two interesting things from our trip. First, Pam was able to board the airplane in Salt Lake City without her driver's license. Of course when we got home, her ID had been mailed back to her. Second, while we were in the Charlotte airport we saw Harry Anderson, aka Judge Harry Stone from Night Court.

An Inside Job

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Stalling

We took lots of great pictures and video while we were in Utah. Unfortunately, I do not know how to put them on the computer. Chris has taught me a dozen or so times, but my brain does not store that particular information long-term, for some reason. Anyway, this blog is just stalling until I get the videos and pictures to properly show our trip in images.

Utah? You might be saying. I didn't know you were going to Utah! Nobody did, including us. A week ago Thursday Chris found out he had time off from school. A week, to be precise. Chris had the idea of going to Niagra Falls and the Sacred Grove, but we all remember what happened last time we tried to do that. No way was I going to tempt fate with a second trip. So I came up with what is possibly my most brilliant plan ever:

We would go to Utah and surprise everyone.

Zakky had just returned from a two-year stint in Argentina and was going to be talking about it on Sunday, so Saturday morning we left Bo in the capable hands of a neighbor and went on an all-out adventure to Utah.

As with any adventure there were bumps along the way. Dutch is enormously heavy and I was holding him in my sling. Not the most comfortable way to spend a day. We flew from Pittsburgh to Denver, from Denver to Utah. Somewhere between Pittsburgh and Denver my license and debit card fell out of my pocket. No one could find them. Luckily I noticed almost immediately and was able to cancel the card before any rogue charges could be made.

Eventually we made it to Utah where my friend Clarissa and her fiance Brian picked us up at the airport and took us to the Davis house. Again, we told no one (except Clarissa) that we were coming. We got to the house and Zak was outside with his friend Cody and both were incredibly shocked. Inside Greg and Josh were working on putting in a new back door so there was a huge hole in the wall where the door used to be. It took everyone a couple of seconds to register who we were, and Dutch was immediately scooped up by Grandpa Greg. Kellie came home a couple of hours later, when Dutch had acclimated nicely. She came in the door and just screamed in surprise. I think it took all week for the shock to wear off! :)

That's all for today, and I've only covered the first day of our trip. Tune in tomorrow to see the next installment of "Our Trip to Utah."


I'm grateful for: family, good friends, car-seats, grapes, pens

No Walking

Seton Hill has decided to cancel the graduation ceremony in January. This means that I will not get to walk. I've never cared much for pomp and circumstance, it just feels anti-climactic after working for 2 years on a degree that will now be handed to me like a receipt at the grocery store.

Walking, sort of

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Happy Birthday Carianne!

5 Things I Love About My Sister Carianne

1. She has a very cute little walk and sticks her bum out without realizing it.
2. Her hair is long and gorgeous and reminds me what my hair might look like if I had enough patience.
3. She is hands-down the best mom in the world (I'm sure you'd all agree).
4. Until I gave her a list of more recent books she only read things published a hundred years ago or more.
5. She can't drive.


I'm grateful for: deodorant, new clothes, Halloween costumes, mascara, slippers

Children's Book Suggestions

I am in charge of storytelling at our church's Trunk or Treat party. I am having some trouble finding really fabulous stories that will be appropriate for 5-11 year-old kids. They can be about Halloween or fall or only loosely related to the holiday at all. The reading list so far consists of Where the Wild Things Are and Olivia and the Missing Toy.

Can you help?

Top 10 Jobs

CNN just listed the top 10 jobs in America and Physician Assistant is number 2! Just under Systems Engineer, whatever that is, so in reality it's the number one job!

Favorite Picture Friday

Welcome Home Zakky!

Yesterday Zak got home after 2 years in Argentina. We've missed him and can't wait to see him again. Love you!


I'm grateful for: e-mail, phones, letters, stamps, texting

Dutch's Five Newest Tricks

Dutch's 5 Newest Tricks (for better or worse)

1. When he has a book in his hand, instead of learning to walk like a normal kid, he rows himself across the room. He does this by kneeling down and pushing with the arm not holding the book. He's surprisingly fast.
2. Playing on Bo's bed as if it's his own. Particularly laying down and reading on it, much to Bo's consternation.
3. When Daddy holds him he rubs Daddy's back. He does not do this with Mama.
4. Biting when he's mad. Yup, that's right. If you tell him no he'll get back at you by biting.
5. Ripping pages of books. He NEVER used to do this and was always really good. The other day he got a hold of my Primary song book and tore pages out and FED THEM TO THE DOG! Not a good trick. Not a good trick at all.

Clapping

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Dutch's Fifteen-Month Well-Baby Visit

A couple of days ago we went to our last pediatrician appointment while living in Pennsylvania. Can I just tell you how much I love Dutch's pediatrician, he has been there from day one and has always allayed my fears without discounting them. For instance, I was really concerned about the fact that Dutch is not walking yet. Dr. Shaver told me not to worry too much about it, but to bring Dutch back in next month if he's still not walking. Dutch's complete unwillingness to walk has had me concerned for awhile now, but I'm less concerned now that Dr. Shaver told me it's pretty normal. I'm really sad that we have to find a new pediatrician for Dutch's 18-month appointment in January.

Anyway, Dutch is almost 30 lbs now and 33 inches long. For weight and height he's in the 95+ percentile. His head circumference, however, is only in the 50 percentile. Which means he's a fat guy with a tiny head! Just kidding, sort of.

In other news, we have all received our flu shots. I kicked and screamed all the way to get mine, but Chris bought me some white roses for being a big girl. I hate needles more than just about anything else, and flu shots double-y so.

I'm grateful for: fabulous pediatricians, white roses, libraries, baby smiles, chicken noodle soup

Dutch

What Do You Think?

Please vote for your favorite Dutch Halloween costume. Who knows? Yours might be the winner!

Should Dutch be:
1. Max from "Where the Wild Things Are"
2. A bumblebee (with Bo as a flower)
3. Yoda


I'm grateful for: dogs that snuggle my feet when they're cold, argyle sweaters, knee-high socks, boots, scarves

Happy Anniversary!

6 years ago Chris and I held hands and promised to love each other forever. We're doing good so far. Happy anniversary Second Buddy!

Second Annual What Should Dutch Be For Halloween Vote

You read that right, it's time for the Second Annual What Should Dutch Be For Halloween Vote! This is where you post a comment giving me ideas for my little prince's costume. I will consider anything and everything, narrow it down to three choices and then have a vote-off. Post early, post often, and keep it clean.


I'm grateful for: naps, hooded sweatshirts, internet, writing journals, games

Happy Birthday Julianna!

5 Things I Love About My Cousin Julianna

1. She's the most beautiful person inside and out.
2. When she was little and would get hurt she'd yell, "Owie, owie, owie" over and over again.
3. We've always had a lot in common.
4. The girl can dress like nobody's business.
5. She's one of the most genuine people I've ever known.

Love you Jay and happy birthday!


I'm grateful for: peanut butter, money (even though we don't have any), good books, DVDs, Nuby sippy cups

Happy Birthday Aunt Marianne!

Happy birthday to my very special and wonderful Aunt Marianne. Without you (and your girls) my wedding would not have been nearly as fun to plan, I wouldn't have had a dress or a hat, and I would have had to do the planning all on my lonesome. I'm so grateful to have you in my life and I love you! Happy birthday!


I'm grateful for: cars, keys, paper, mail, stamps

The Stripper Strikes Again!

Why is it that my baby strips when he gets angry? Or perhaps he strips and then gets angry? I'm not sure. All I know is when Dutch started to cry at 5:30 this morning Chris went in and he was buck naked. He had unzipped his zip-up onesie, taken it off, and removed his diaper. Luckily he hadn't yet peed on the floor. I told Chris to hurry and get Dutch dressed before he decided to.

I'm not sure where this nudist thing is coming from. Is it a Bailey thing? Or a Davis boy thing?

The Great Strip-Tease of 2009

I woke up this morning and found this in Dutch's crib.
That's right, a stripper!

I didn't get a video, but in this picture he's actually swinging his pants around, like it's a strip-tease. I'm not sure where he learned it, but it freaks me out. We all recall what happens when Dutch takes off his pants, don't we? That's right, his diaper goes next and then there's pee all over the floor! I was late to the show, but didn't miss it entirely, so I got there before the diaper could be removed. I shudder to think what would have happened if I'd waited only a few minutes more. Lesson learned: Onesies must be worn at all times. NO EXCEPTIONS!

I'm grateful for: cameras, camera cords being in the place they're supposed to be, raspberries, clocks, rain

A List for Tuesday

5 Reasons I Wish Bo Were Like the Dog in Good Dog, Carl

1. Wouldn't have to get up in the middle of the night to change Dutch's diaper.
2. Could (hypothetically) go run errands and leave the baby at home.
3. It would be awesome to have a dog that well-trained.
4. One of my favorite stories is Peter Pan and I always wanted a nanny like Nana.
5. Housework would be so much easier if Bo helped instead of getting in the way.


I'm grateful for: Wednesdays, razors, bubblebath, books, lotion

Giggle Bubbles

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One Perfect Moment

It's about 1am, but I wanted to blog before I forgot this. Every once in a while you're handed a perfect moment and if you don't write it down you risk losing it forever.

Dutch has been sick the past week or so. It's a little cold, but he's been waking up between midnight and 1am every night. He's so reliable that I've stopped going to bed because it's easier to stay up than get myself up after a couple hours of sleep.

Tonight, walking through a dark house on my way to get Dutch, I tripped over Bo. I landed really hard on my knees, hands, and got a nice little bump on my noggin. My body just vibrated with pain. Tears came immediately to my eyes. All I could think was "Ouch."

I went in and got Dutch with my hands and knees still throbbing. Chris came in and made sure I was okay and gave my arm a little rub. Dutch, seeing this, gave me a little rub on my shoulder.

It was just such a sweet moment. This little guy saw his Daddy comforting me and wanted to help too. I laughed and felt instantly better. (Hopefully he'll feel better soon so we can all get a full night's sleep around here.)

As for Bo, even though he didn't get yelled at he felt like he was in trouble and hid. It wasn't his fault so once Dutch was down I went and found him and made sure that he was okay. He was.

I'm grateful for: night-lights, snuggles, baby vapor rub, big blue rocking chairs, ibuprofen.

Grandpa Greg PJ's

Here is Dutch in PJ's that look just like Grandpa Greg's.
Which made me think of this quote:

"A son is the promise that time makes to a man, the guarantee every father receives that whatever he holds dear will someday be considered foolish, and that the person he loves best in the world will misunderstand him."

Why is it . . . ?

Why is it:

• Dutch will sleep in every day of the week, but the one day I get up early to get things done, he wakes up early too?
• Bo will be good the entire day, but bark incessantly the minute I put Dutch down for a nap?
• when I have the time and space to write, I can't think of anything to write about?

I'm grateful for: bowls, spoons, Lucky Charms, milk, 3-ring binders

A Thin Line Between Love and Hurt

5 Things Dutch Does to Bo:

1. Yanks on his tail
2. Sticks his fingers in Bo's mouth so he can feel his tongue
3. Grabs Bo's "handle"
4. Lays on Bo's dog bed, because apparently that is "base" when "they" play tag
5. Tries to eat Bo's dog food. But I guess it's only fair since he shares his food with Bo.


I'm grateful for: headphones, internet, my favorite blue pen, printers, thick stacks of white paper

Being Grateful

I've decided at the end of each blog to list five things that I'm grateful for. I've realized that I'm a pretty ungrateful person and need to work on that aspect of my character. So this will be an attempt to focus on the good in life. I'm going to try to do small things; it's easy to see on the big and obvious, but I want to find the small and simple.

Here is the first list:

Things I'm grateful for--knives, bananas, muffin tins, socks, my pink blanket

Future Mr. Basketball

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Xanax for Babies

We're home safe from Rhode Island. We had a great trip. My mother is Xanax for babies. Every time Dutch came near her he would fall asleep. I'm exaggerating, but not much.

We went to a Labor Day picnic on Monday and Dutchie got to play with other kids. None were his size or his age. They were all older and smaller. I didn't realize what a gigantor he was until I saw him towering over a 3-year-old. He had a lot of fun playing with the other babies and it was fun to watch his incredulousness about their walking. He was also very good about sharing his toy. He was NOT in the mood to share his grandma or grandpa, however. When he saw Sophie sitting on Mom's lap he was pissed. Then when Dad was bouncing her, he was pretty annoyed as well.

Big milestone: Dutch can now wave.

It was a sad day to leave my mom and dad. I miss being babied and taken care of. Not to mention everyone at their church was so nice that it made me wish I lived there. It would be nice to live near normal people with kids.

Also, PopPop inadvertently taught Dutch how to bounce a ball! See the video tomorrow.

Having Fun in Rhode Island (Aren't You Jealous?)

Daddy complained last night that I must not be having any fun because I haven't blogged about it yet. Truthfully, it was more out of laziness than lack of stuff to write about. Here is my trip to Rhode Island so far:

Dutch and I left at about 8am Friday morning. The TomTom said it would take 9 hours to get here. 12 hours later we pulled in to Mom and Dad's parking lot. I would have been in a worse mood but I arrived just in time to see the most beautiful sunset over the ocean. Dutch was cranky, but perked right up when he saw GaGa and PopPop coming out to greet him. Sleeping that night was not something that he did much of, but we all survived.

The next day we were going to run errands and just spend time together. Just after I pulled Dutch's carseat out of my car to put in Dad's car, Dad helpfully shut the door. My purse was inside. My keys were in my purse. The doors were all locked.

We decided to worry about all of that later and went and ran our errands to buy Dutch enough fruit and veggies to satisfy his incredible appetite (did I mention he's wearing 2T clothes now? Thanks Heidi for sharing). Dad had a meeting to go to so Mom and I went to a very fun toy store called The Walrus and Carpenter where Dutch fell in love with the wooden Thomas the Tank Engine trains. We bought him Billy the orange train who has really gapped teeth, so I said Billy must be short for Hill-Billy and Mom said he must be a mountain train! We finally decided to worry about my keys in the car. We called a few places and $40 later we had my keys and purse. Dutch napped and slept incredible well yesterday, although he got up MUCH to early for my liking. Mom watched him while I got a little more sleep.

Today at church Dutch was treated like a rock-star and I was treated like a rock-star's mom. Everyone LOVES my mom and dad and they all knew all about Dutch and me. Several people told me they were so excited to finally meet the grandbaby they had heard so much about. We had a really great time and everyone was really sweet to us.

There are still more days left and more fun to be had, so I'll blog later, hopefully with pictures!

"That is Not a Handle!"

Dutch loves Bo.

Sometimes too much.

Sometimes so much it borders on torture.

This has been the case lately. Dutch is fascinated with Bo's tail and yanks on it (really hard) every chance he gets. Bo growls, stands up, and walks away. Dutch crawls after him and does it again. Repeat until I'm worried someone (Dutch) is going to get hurt. The other day Dutch went to an entirely different form of torture. He became intrigued by Bo's penis and grabbed it. Chris saw, laughed, and told Dutch "That is not a handle!"

Poor Bo.

Noah's Big Bald Head

My friend from church, Joanne, gave me some of her daughter's old toys when she was cleaning out and making room. One of them was the Fisher Price Little People Noah's Ark. Dutch loves the ark, the animals, and the rain/rainbow "flag" that goes on top of the ark. He likes that the boat is on wheels and he can push it back and forth. Nothing compares, however, to how much he likes to chew on Noah's big bald head. While the other animals seem delicious, when given a choice he'll choose Noah over all the others.

It's been getting colder lately. Dutch has never been one to enjoy socks, but the other morning his little tootsies were so frozy that I put a pair on him, hoping that the warmth they provided would outweigh his obvious irritation with them. No such luck. After he took them off he placed one of them on my foot. As if to say, "I don't want to wear them, but you can."

He is very close to walking. One of his favorite things to do right now is put his hands out and stand up on his legs so he makes an A shape. I always applaud this since it's how he's going to learn to stand up without help. So far he thinks that's the game in and of itself. We'll see if he figures out how to stand on his own from it.

Lastly, he's been doing this bizarre thing where he scrunches up his face, pushes his top lip out and inhales through his nose. Like he's trying to sniff his upper lip. It's really funny and I have no idea where he got it. Chris says it's something Uncle Joshy used to do, but I don't see how Dutch would know that.

Sorry I haven't been better about posting. Now that my August deadline is over I will have more time to blog. Hopefully I will also have more to blog about!

Moving Sale

If the devil were to explode and evil were gone forever, what kind of party would you have?

We woke up to the most wonderful site that we've ever seen since we moved to Pennsylvania. Our neighbor Skip had his car in the front yard along with other assorted junk and a big Moving Sale on his mailbox.

Oh

Dutch's favorite word right now is "oh" and he says it all the time. A lot of times it's more like a song "ohhhhhhhhhhhhh" and his fat little lips make a kissy face while he sings it. Very cute.

He also imitates what I do. If I shake my head, he'll shake his head. If I clap, he'll clap. If I pat my thighs to call Bo, he'll do the same. The only imitations he will NOT do are walking and saying "Mama." I'm not sure what his aversion to that word is, but it hurts my feelings.

That's just a little mini-update for today. Hopefully soon we'll have pictures and/or video to share.

A List for Tuesday

Five Things I'm Looking Forward To (in order of occurrence):

1. Labor Day weekend in Rhode Island with my Mama and Dad
2. Clarissa's wedding in October
3. Zak's homecoming in October
4. Christmas in Utah
5. Graduating from Seton Hill University

Happy Birthday Sam!

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Sam. He was the first boy to ever love me. I was 18-ish and he was 1. Since then I found another boy who loved me more and Sam has grown up to quite the handsome guy. Happy birthday Sam!

And I would have posted some really cute pictures, but I'm on Chris's laptop and not mine, so I'll try to do that sometime (when my laptop is working).

Baby Hungry

Today at church a couple sat behind us with their two week old baby. Dutch was intrigued. He stared at that little boy until the mom took him out to change him. Then when the baby came back Dutch was practically doing handsprings to get a peek at him.

I told Chris it's because Dutch wants to have a baby in our family. Chris said it's because Dutch wanted to eat the baby.

Bizarre Fact of Motherhood

When I try to play with Dutch he is perfectly content to play by himself, and let's me know it. The minute I start doing something productive (like loading the dishwasher) he immediately needs my attention all to himself.

He and Bo will sit at the gate staring into the kitchen and whining. It's a miracle anything gets done.

Elliot the Elephant

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A Few New Tricks

Dutch can now go up and down the one step from the living room into the (carpeted) office. The way he gets down is he puts his hands in front of him and falls forward until he face-plants it. The first time he did this I panicked a little, but after the third or fourth time I realized he was doing it on purpose. He gets up the step the usual way, one leg at a time.

Clapping is a new favorite past-time. If I tell him to call Bo he'll clap his hands a couple of times. If I clap for Bo, he claps too. If I put on some music and dance then he'll clap as he dances.

As far as talking is concerned, he isn't doing much of it. When he says "a-nana" (banana) he means food in general. When he says "Da-da" I'm not sure what he means, because sometimes he's talking about himself and sometimes he's talking about Chris and sometimes he's talking about something else entirely. He does make noise all the time, just nothing coherent.

Speaking of him making noise, he's begun "reading" to himself. He'll pull a book off his shelf and go sit somewhere and coo and babble while he turns the pages. It's cute and very funny. It makes me so proud.

King Kong

Before Dutch got a hold of it

After

Grandma Honey sent Dutch some gifts in the mail. He loved this stuffed monkey a little too much. Loved it to death. Nothing that some duct tape and 15 pound fishing line can't fix.

A One Nap Baby

It's official. Dutch is now only taking one nap a day (or less). The past couple of days he hasn't been napping at all, but before that he was perfectly content with taking one nap between 12pm and 1pm. He's also been refusing to sleep at night. We put him to bed between 7pm and 8pm and it never fails that if he cries loud and long enough Daddy will go and rescue him. I keep trying to convince Chris that Dutch is manipulating him, but he's just a big softie.

So, in conclusion, I will be getting even less done now than I was before.

Dutch, the Extra Naughty Version

Someone has taken my Good Baby and replaced him the an Extra Naughty one. Extra Naughty (or EN for short) is not at all like my Good Baby (GB). They look the same, of course, and have the same smile and laugh, but that's where the resemblance ends. EN screams 99% of the time. He has several different ones. One that sounds like a hawk, one that sounds like a pterodactyl, one that sounds like a car engine. When EN is feeling extra extra naughty he does all three in succession. For hours on end. In places where we should be quiet. Like the library.

EN gets into things that GB knows not to get into. Like Daddy's desk, Mama's purse, and the grown-up bookshelf. Baby proofing has no effect on EN at all. I think his extra naughtiness also gave him extra brain-power, because he's smart!

So I'm doing my best to love and tolerate Extra Naughty, but I pray every day (every hour, sometimes) that whoever took my Good Baby will return him to me soon.

Because I really miss him.

A List for Tuesday

Five Sounds That Dutch Makes That Annoy the Crap Out of Me

1. This high-pitched, incredible loud squeal/scream. Think of a hawk screaming just before it dives.
2. A guttural noise that sounds like a demon is living in his throat.
3. His crying whine.
4. His whimpering whine.
5. His tired whine.

Feeding the Dog

While I was getting ready for church this morning Dutch was in his high-chair eating breakfast. Wait, I'm sorry, that's wrong. Let me try again.

While I was getting ready for church this morning Dutch was in his high-chair flinging his food onto the floor so he could watch Bo eat it. Bo, in response to this miraculous event, has taken to laying under the high-chair. You know, just in case.

Some Pictures of Dutch

My 15 Books

My sister wanted to know the first 15 books I can think of that have changed me. Here they are:

1. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
2. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
4. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale/Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
5. The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman
6. The Wood Wife by Terri Windling
7. The Magic Circle by Donna Jo Napoli
8. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
9. Stonewords: A Ghost Story by Pam Conrad
10. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
11. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
12. The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern, a.k.a. William Goldman
13. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
14. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
15. The Portable Dorothy Parker

Dutch's Crib and Mama Attempts to Be Crafty

These are pictures of Dutch's new crib. Chris and I were worried about him chewing on the top bars, so we were going to get a crib bite guard, but they only protected the top part of the bar. Anyway, long story short, I saw something similar to this fleece crib rail protector and thought that I might be able to do it on my own. Dutch really likes it. He thinks it's some sort of game. I guess I'll see how long they last.

Dutch the Giant

We were at Target yesterday to pick up Dutch's 1 year pictures (they turned out great). We were walking down the aisle and this tiny baby came walking toward us. I teased Dutch that the little guy was showing him up. The mom and I talked a little bit and her baby was the SAME AGE as Dutch. He was about half Dutch's size, seriously.

My baby is huge.

A List for Tuesday

Five Reasons Why I Went to IKEA Alone With My One-Year-Old to Buy Him a New Bed

1. He's been sleeping in a playpen.
2. He has figured out how to rock his playpen against the wall; in the morning I wake up to what sounds like a jack-hammer.
3. He can rock his playpen so that it moves across the room, thus allowing him to get into things that little hands should not be getting into (like diaper rash cream).
4. The one at IKEA was too cute and too inexpensive NOT to buy it.
5. It matches his bookshelf, and converts into a toddler bed, so he can use it for years to come.

Fool Me Once, Shame On You; Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me; Fool Me Three Times, Blame the Husband

Chris was sweet enough not to wake me up when Dutch was crying. He changed Dutch's diaper and put him back to sleep. The one thing he forgot was my incessant reminders to always put Dutch in a onesie or pants. NEVER leave the diaper exposed.

I woke up and went into Dutch's room. He was standing up in his crib, diaper-less, smiling at me, as he PEED ON THE FLOOR.

At least he had the good sense not to pee where he sleeps.

P.S. When I told Chris about this he laughed hysterically and was so proud that Dutch stood while he was peeing. Typical Chris response.

Happy Birthday Uncle Frank!

Today is my Uncle Frank's birthday and I wanted to wish him a happy birthday. Here are some things that I remember about him.

• When Chris first met Uncle Frank he was a little intimidated by his size and has called him "Uncle Frank the Tank" ever since.
  
• It was so nice to have Uncle Frank, Aunt Marianne and the girls around while I was planning my wedding. They were all so excited about it and made it really fun.
  
• When I was little I would spend a lot of time at their house during the summer and I remember that every day when Uncle Frank got home from work the girls would line up on the stairs and he would catch them.
• At dinner he would open up all of the mail with a butter knife.
• He read the newspaper over breakfast.
• He explained to the girls and me that Omi didn't approve of using the jam spoon to spread it around on your bread. You had to put it on your bread and then use your knife to spread it around.
• Aunt Marianne and Uncle Frank taught me a lot about love that I didn't know.
• The two of them have "become one" over time so it's hard to have a memory of one without the other.

It's not 57 things, but I wanted to share some of my favorite memories. I love you Uncle Frank and I'm so glad to have you in my life!

It's A Boy!

Chris delivered his first baby yesterday. A 6 pound 10 ounce boy.

Dancing

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Dutch's New Trick

If it happens once I assume it's a one-time thing. When it happens again I know it's here to stay.

The other morning I went in to get Dutch and found him standing up in his crib, smiling, and... diaper-less. He had somehow pulled his diaper off and it lay in the bed next to him. I have no idea how long his diaper had been off, all I know is I had no mess to clean up THANK GOODNESS. I made sure that he always wore a onesie or pants to bed instead of just a t-shirt and thought that I had outsmarted my one-year-old.

Apparently I'm not as smart as I think I am.

I always feed Dutch in nothing but a diaper because he's a MESSY eater and it makes less laundry for me to do. Yes, I'm just that lazy. Anyway, after lunch today I put him out to play with just his diaper on while I finished getting ready to go run errands. I came into the doorway and saw the most bizarre dance I've ever seen in my life. This is how it goes (imagine your favorite high-beat music behind it):

• Dutch tugs twice on his diaper fastener
• Turns in a circle to see if it worked (imagine a dog chasing his tail)
• Tugs twice on the same diaper fastener
• Turns in a circle a little faster
• Tugs harder a few more times
• Turns as fast as he can
• Repeats until diaper magically comes off
• Notices Mama watching and smiles really big
  

So now I have to keep pants on him all the time, until the day he learns how to take those off. I'm trying to stay one step ahead, but he's too smart for me!

This and That

I haven't been very good about blogging the last week or so because I've been tied up with school stuff. Here is a little bit of what's been going on.

Dutch got his one-year pictures taken yesterday. He hadn't napped all day long, so I was expecting it to be a disaster, but he did really well. We put him in a Seton Hill onesie and khaki shorts; he looked so cute.

Dutch now has 6 teeth (the better to bite you with, my dear). 4 on top and 2 on bottom. And yes, he's started biting me with them. He never does it to Chris, just me. I think it's paybacks for me being a biter.

For his birthday Dutch got a swing to hang outside. Every time I put him in it he enjoys it for a little longer. It used to last only a few seconds, but now he'll play for a lot longer. I think he mostly loves just being outside; all those noises fascinate him.

Chris starts his OBGYN rotation today - in surgery! The last girl that was there got to deliver 4 babies, so Chris is excited to be able to do hands-on things. He's also glad not to be in the Pysch Ward anymore, it was making him feel crazy.

I'm at my lowest weight since before Dutch was born and I'm starting to feel more like myself. It's never been about losing weight, per se, just feeling comfortable in my skin. That's finally starting to happen.

It's raining today and we're stuck in the house, but I'm sure Dutch will find something to do to entertain himself.

Hot Dog

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Dutch's First Tool Set

My friend Joanne recently went through all of her old baby stuff (her daughter is 8) and decided to get rid of all of it. Dutch reaped the benefits. He got about a dozen palm-sized board books (his palm, not mine), a Little People Noah's Ark, a toy shelf, and a tool set.

This tool set is simple and perfect for someone Dutch's size and age. I got it out for him last night and... Chris played with it for about an hour. He tried to share with Dutch, but my little guy had no interest in what Daddy was doing.

To recap, Dutch has a new tool set and it's Chris's favorite toy.

Eating Ravioli

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Happy Birthday to my Anneke!

Unfortunately, these are the only pictures I have of Anneke on my laptop. The last one is my favorite. I love the way she's playing with Carianne's hair.

The reason that I call her MY Anneke is because if she didn't look exactly like my sister Heidi you would swear she was my kid. Anneke is exactly like me when I was little. Every time I hear a story about her I think to myself, "I would have done that" or "I remember doing that." Today she is a big 5-year-old and I'm sad she's growing up so fast.

Happy birthday my Anneke!