Memorail 2011

AJ would have sat through the entire service if he had not pooped near the end. I rushed him out for a diaper change before anyone else could smell it too. Any chance of leaving the room without disrupting the meeting was thrown out the window when he yelled,"I pooped" as we approached the exit.

Feeding the Cats

Aiden is very helpful around the house. Check him out feeding the cats. The story begins at 6AM when he pops up, jumps out of bed, and runs to the closet door. Meanwhile I reach for the camera to catch him in action.

Rubber Room

I've been joking around for a while about this idea but its time to get serious. I need someone to build an 800 square foot rubber room for my day care. It must meet the following requirements:

• 100% stain proof


• built in vacuum (for easy cleaning)


• built in shower (for blow-out diapers)


• training potty chair


• several safety features (IE: an automatic "No Gravity Switch" for when the brouzins are dare devils)


• floating shelves and cabinets hung above the brouzin's reach

Reading

Aiden is reading the Toys R Us mailer intently.

Stomach Virus

Aiden caught a stomach virus last week. It started with vomiting then diarrhea. He stopped throwing up after day 2 but his diarrhea is still an issue... a nasty issue. DISGUSTING! I've tried putting water proof training pants over his diaper to keep it from oozing down his leg and onto the floor or my lap. That only works a fraction of the time. When will it end?
This virus is highly contagious Everyone that enters our home caught this same bug within less than a week. Stay away if you can.

3 Brouzins and a Brouzinita

Lunchtime

Sign Language

Aiden is at an impressionable age. His desire to learn and imitate others amazes me. Thanks again to BabyEinstein DVD's. AJ is learning sign language. He and his brouzin Justin follow along and sign the basic words around the home like door and chair. Elmo also teaches sign language. So far they know how to sign a few zoo animals like giraffe and lion.

Discovering Shapes and Numbers

Thanks to Disnety'sBabyEinstein DVD's AJ is learning his shapes and numbers. So far his favorites are circle, star, and numbers 2 and 3.

WOW

AJ's vocabulary is constantly growing. The words that impress me the most are the ones that show excitement and personality. Aiden's newest word is "WOW". He is now conscious of baby-wonders of life and his reaction to them is saying wow. He gets excited anytime he sees a colorful picture, or reads a pop up book, or opens a DVD case to find a....DVD inside. I can't wait to see his reaction to the zoo this summer.

Master of the Stairs

After several months of climbing up the stairs AJ learned to scoot down the stairs by himself. I'm not sure how he learned it because I've been too nervous to allow it. I carried him or held his hand while he walked down beside me. Perhaps his Dad taught him or maybe he was imitating his older brouzin Justin. Nonetheless, I am glad that he has mastered the stairs. No more worry about him falling. Life in a home with multiple toddlers is stressful but it gets a little less nerve racking as they become more independent and self sufficient.

Am I The New Waitress?

Normally we eat together in the dining room (AJ sits in his high chair). Recently AJ prefers to eat his meals at the new kiddie table in the living room. In the past he ran to the refrigerator and pointed to what he wanted and stood there until I gave it to him. Then he took it to the kiddie table, sat down, and ate. Now he tells me what he wants, cheese for example, but he no longer follows me into the kitchen to get it. Instead he takes a seat at the kiddie table and waits for me to bring it to him. Did he just place an order? Am I his new waitress? When he wants more cheese he brings the bowl into the kitchen, screams cheese and returns to his table and again he waits. Did he just order a refill? He tickles me.

3 Brouzins and a Brouzinita

Day care life is much easier now that our new brouzinitta Ariana is not so new anymore. Nathan's first reaction of intrigue has dwindled so he no longer tries to squeeze or trample her. Aiden's constant desire to pet her head has ended. Whew....it is safe to leave her alone in the swing or on the floor for tummy time without perpetually hovering over her.

The brouzins still, however, travel in a pack. I can not sit or lie down alone without every brouzin flocking to me. They treat me like a human jungle gym...climbing on me, flipping over me, doing handstands on my back or belly. I am always being kicked, or elbowed, or something else painful. Who knew daycare would be so brutal.

Picky Eater

Aiden has become quite the picky eater but he always lets me know when he enjoys a particular food by saying MmmmmmmGoodMmmmmm. (FYI: Good is one of his new words along with milk & Momo(Elmo))

Skin Fetish

AJ loves the feel of bare skin. Currently we share a bedroom but I need my own ASAP. Why? He runs...I mean charges toward me when I begin to undress so that he can pinch and rub my skin. Unfortunately, because of his height, he reaches and touches my lower (inappropriate) areas. It doesn't stop once I am fully dressed. Throughout the day, he pulls my shirt up or my pants down to pinch my skin. Needless to say, he is heavy handed.

Terrible Twos... 4 Months Early

Dr Hirsh warned me that Terrible Twos actually begin at 18 months. Let the record show that Aiden's began at 20 months. His tantrums don't last long but they are dramatic. When will he get sick of hitting his head on the floor from falling out backwards? He gets mad when I turn the cartoons off TV for a few hours or when he can't have GoldFish crackers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Sesame Street Live

Coincidentally, Aiden learned to say Elmo a few moments before entering the Fox theater to see Sesame Street Live. While in the parking lot across the street I pointed to the Fox and told him that we were going to see Elmo and he said,"MoMo?" Cool timing.

He enjoyed the show...dancing, singing along, and eating popcorn.

Mickey Mouse

Milk Mustache

Sleeping with Mommy

Aiden no longer sleeps through the night. He wakes up around 2AM crying.
A first I thought he was having nightmares or teething. He calmed down as soon as I picked him up. I tried to return him to his crib but he refused so I laid him in my bed.
This has happened every night since then. Each night Aiden cuddles beside me, face to face, positions both of his hands on opposite sides of my face and then and only then, he falls asleep. After two weeks of this I began to think that AJ is not teething or having nightmares. He simply wants to sleep in my bed. On one particular night I decided not to allow this to continue. I reasoned that I was ruining his sleep training by giving in to his demands. I figured that I was doing more harm than good so I put him back in his crib to self soothe himself. 2 minutes later he jumped out of his crib (for the first time) and put himself in my bed. I guess he told me.

Mine-Itis

Does anyone know the cure for Mine-itis? Justin and Aiden caught it first months ago. It is begining to spread. Nathan caught it last week. He can't say the word mine but he snatches and steal toys while screaming....sounds like Mine-itis to me. The fighting and screaming is too much. They have plenty to play with but that is not good enough for them. Buying two or three of every toy does not work either. They still fight over the exact same toy because the other brouzin has it, in there hand, at the time. I've read that kids don't learn the concept of sharing until age 4 or 5. I can't wait that long. Any ideas?