20 months: Devon (May)

Most of the new things Devon does now has to do with the ever expanding cuteness of his vocabulary. He loves to go out into the garden to pick tomatoes and help his Daddy water the plants. He says hose for about an hour after they come back into the house since he is still so excited from being such a good helper. He now says "water" (replace the "T" with a "D") and not "wa-wa" which is sort of sad that he has out grown that, but it's cute to hear him say real words. He loves to collect rocks and plays with them for hours putting them into a plastic cup and dumping them out over and over again. Every time we go outside he has to pick up rocks. He is learning his shapes and can identify a circle, heart, star, moon, oval and octagon. If you show him a shape he doesn't know he will default to circle. He has started saying 2 word sentences regularly like,"So good", "Go jeeze", and "Come here" among others.

He loves to eat tomatoes, yogurt, gummy fruit snacks, grilled chicken, hamburgers, grapes, melon, mashed potatoes, tortillas (tias), hard boiled egg whites, pears and red apples. He a rediscovered his love of milk and now prefers it cold which has been so nice to not have to warm it up first.

He found this bottle of protein powder and opened it himself. I have no idea how he does this. It's not the first time he has opened a child proof cap. Remember the Nyquil he dumped out? Oh and when he sees something out of place (like 4 drops of milk on the floor) he will grab a towel and say,"Mess" until it gets cleaned up. He said mess about 50 times by the time I got the powder swept up.

Joe got Devon to paint on a canvas when I was teaching this past Sunday. I thought it would be covered with hand prints, but he hates to get dirty and only wanted to use brushes. Any amount of paint that got on him had to be washed off.

He sometimes asks to be picked up at inconvenient times. I'll say,"Just a second, buddy." and his tactic will change to,"Hug! Hug!" So I, being the sucker that I am, bend down to hug him. He then proceeds to cling to me with vice-like grip with his arms and legs and I have no choice, but to pick him up since he is now attached to my body. I figure, since he was smart enough to trick me the least I can do is reward his ingenuity. He is learning to be a good helper and is excited to throw his diapers away in the garbage. He is getting better at putting away his toys before getting out other toys which is a great thing for him to learn this young.

His new trick is to get down on his belly and do push ups. No joke. It's hilarious. He even makes a grunting sound with every push. He will do this when he feels like he needs an energy boost ;) but he also does it when he sees "lilards" (lizards) in the back yard. Once he's done with push ups he will stay on the floor, stick his arms out and fly. He is so shy when other people are around so I'm sure some of this stuff doesn't resonate with the shy boy they usually see, but I assure you he is quite out going when he's at home.

I don't know if this means that he is ready to potty train or not, but several times a day he will grab his crotch and say, "Pee pee" or touch his bum and say,"Poop", go to the bathroom door and knock on it so I will take him in there. I sit him on the toilet and of course, nothing happens, but I may get him a little toilet and see what he does with it. I think he does it so he can have an actual reason to flush the toilet and wash his hands. He LOVES to wash his hands. I wasn't going to start the potty training process until after he turned 2, but I think it's OK to introduce it to him in teeny, tiny doses since he is showing an interest on his own.

He prefers books over toys any day of the week and will literally have me read to him for hours a day. I'm not exaggerating here. Hours. It gets a little tedious reading "Baby's pumpkin" 20 times in a row, but he loves it and I can always go to the library or Bookman's for some "new" used books. He loves to go to the park to dig (and eat) the dirt, watch the birds and say hi to the dogs. We had some landscaping done and Devon is now fascinated my tractors (tashures). He points them out and says,"Wow! Tashure! Yellow!" (Video on Facebook when it lets me load it).

I don't know that I would say that we are "actively" working on getting rid of the pacifier even though he is past the time of when our pediatrician says we should take it away. Devon calls it a "papash". He only uses it for sleeping and will usually hand it over when I ask for it. He sometimes even gives it to me when I don't ask. I'm sure he will give it up in the next few months ... just in time for the new baby and all her new pacifiers to tempt him back to the dark side ;)

Devon gives out the "Triple threat" of love and affection. It starts with a kiss, then a hug followed up with a "Yove you" (Love you). He will do this all on his own without any coaxing so he really does make you feel loved. He is such a tender little boy. He is starting to pat the baby in my belly and says her name when he does it. I know that he doesn't really know what a baby in my belly actually IS. He's only 1 after all. But I do know that he knows more than I think he does and I hope that doing this small exercise will, at the very least, get him use to hearing her name as well as when I describe him being a brother, getting a little sister, etc. I think he will make a very sweet big brother.

Savers

Today was the Savers 50% clothing sale. I decided that I would go whenever I woke up and Joe would watch the baby. Apparently, it turns out I naturally wake up around 6:30. When the hell did THAT happen? That was a rhetorical question. I know that happened about 20 months ago ;) Anyway, I was able to get up, get ready and be there by 7:00 when they opened. There wasn't really an early crowd and I was able to go without Devon so that made things faster and easier. I also felt like I got to see everything before it was too picked over. I got some GREAT stuff. I love playing dress up with the kids!

For Devon:
PJ's: 1
Pants:4
Shorts: 5
t-shirts: 11

For the little lady:
PJ's: 2
Dresses: 12
Out fits: 1
Sweaters: 3

All 39 items for $53. Can you believe that?!?! $53 bucks!!! Amazing. These clothes will probably last my kids til the next sale in September. Love me some Savers 50% off sale!!

Garage sale finds

I haven't been garage "sale-ing" in forever. I have been wanting to go for months, but Joe always seems to have to work, someone gets sick, I'm too tired ... the list goes on. I decided that I was definitely going to go this weekend and it finally worked out. Mom and Dad chauffeured me around and even picked me up so I didn't waste any time driving out to meet them. Quite the time saver. We hit up 2 yard sales before we even got out of my neighborhood. I am not much of a haggler so I'm sure I over paid on a few things, but when stuff is already so cheap I don't mind. I will usually ask for a dollar off and they usually say yes to a pregnant lady ;)

I picked up this super cute foot stool that I can turn into something sweet for the little lady's room for $5. It needs to be reupholstered, but that is an easy fix. I also got Joe a tape measure because it would seem that they always go missing around our house. $2

I got a bag full of 27 plastic eggs for Devon for $.50 and a brand new wok for $3 that retails for $30. Score!

When I told Devon they were plastic eggs he didn't skip a beat. He went right to the cabinet, got out the egg cooker and filled it with eggs. He's so smart! But seriously, how cute is that?!?

I got this tin for the little lady's room for $2. What little girl doesn't need a few nick-knacks?

And my FAVORITE purchase of the day is this adorable doll cradle. I think other than making some simple bedding for it I am going to leave it just as it is. I got it for $4.

I had to take a 2 hour nap to make up for all the shopping, but in the end it was worth getting up at 6:45. $13.50 worth of fun!

They're just clothes, right?

I have a list of "things to do" that are not urgently needed to be completed, but if I can get them done before the little lady arrives I will consider myself somewhat amazing ;) One of the things on that list was to go through Devon's old clothes and sort them. I have kept every piece of clothing he has worn his entire life. I have them in 6, vacuum sealed storage bags in the top of his closet. I needed to sort them into a throw away pile, a try-to-sell-to-a-kids-re-sale-clothing-store pile, a keep-for-Devon-when-he-gets-older-pile, a give-to-the-new-baby-pile and a clothes-from-his-first-year-turn-into-a-blanket pile.

The throw away pile was easy. Throw out anything that was showing age spots, yellowing or permanently stained. The keep for Devon pile was also easy. Sentimental stuff. I kept his take home from the hospital onesie, a teeny tiny pair of shoes, some hats, and a few other items that have special meaning to me. I just want him to be able to see just how small he was when he was born. He probably won't care when he's older, but at least he will have a few things and know that I cared enough to save them for him.

I had an OK time with the blanket pile, but the try to sell stuff was, lame as it may sound, tougher than I thought.

I consider myself to be able to get rid of stuff pretty easily when I know I won't ever use/wear/need the item ever again, but I had the hardest time deciding to part with his clothes. Nothing good will come of saving them. They are just taking up space so WHY can't I just get rid of them? I KNOW I sound ridiculous ... They're just clothes. I'll truly never need them again. I'll just blame the hormones, but it feels like his babyness went so fast and now he's a toddler and all these little clothes that I painstakingly selected for him no longer fit. Even though I had a hard time adjusting for the first few months following his birth, I really was (and still am) a happy Mom. I really feel like I did savor the time when he was so little. I baby wore him every where. I have 4 carriers. I don't think his bum touched a grocery cart seat until he was over a year old because I loved having him close to me all the time. He's 20 months now and I still pop him in the carrier on occasion only now when I wear him on my back instead of my belly he puts his arms around me and says,"Hug". Getting up for feedings was so challenging, but more than that I remember waking up and seeing him asleep with the moon light on his little face.

I always hated it when people would say,"Enjoy this time. It goes so fast." I always thought it was such a trite and condescending thing to say to a new Mom. It does go fast, but LIFE seems to go by faster once you have kids. The same people also annoyingly offer up the equally eye-roll worthy,"Enjoy your sleep now because you'll never get a full night's rest again!" Lame. Thanks for that totally useless, snarky, non-advice.

Anyway, I was sorting through the clothes and got a little weepy when Devon handed me a shoe that clearly would not fit him. He sat down next to me, took off his size 6 shoes and said,"On! On!" so I would put the blue, size 2 shark covered shoes on him. It just made me SO sad! I had to explain to him that he was growing into a big boy and they wouldn't fit. He seemed confused until I put them on him anyway and they fit like the glass slipper on Cinderella's step sisters. He took the shoe off his foot, went and got a book and we read for half an hour. It's a sad day when you have to start telling your baby that he's big. OK so it's just sad for Mom's ;)

Purees and Shepherd's Pie

I made my own purees when Devon was a baby, but he didn't like them so I stopped making them. I don't think they were smooth enough or something, but I gave up. Once he switched to solids he loved vegetables and ate green beans like his life depended on it. He ate peas for a snack. Now all he does with veggies is spit them out. So I have gone back to doing purees again and have been mixing them into his food (thanks to Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook). I eat vegetables no problem, but it is great for Joe and I to get an extra serving or two in where we can. I have been doing one vegetable a week, freezing it and vacuum sealing it in ready-to-cook-with portions. I don't have a lot of freezer space, but I try to have something on hand. I still haven't gotten a freezer chest yet so, Honey, if you are reading this ... hint hint! ;) I use the water bottle ice cube trays since they melt faster when cooked. They are about an ounce per section.

Yes, that's a broccoli puree "Popsicle" that he asked for. He didn't eat much of it, but he got some of it down. There is also some puree in the pasta.

Shepherd's Pie has vegetables in it already, but why not add a few more for variety?!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 pound ground lamb (*Lamb grosses me out. OK I've never had it, but I KNOW I wouldn't like it. I used all beef)
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste (*I used an entire small can. Better flavor)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 cup frozen peas (*I also add corn and a few purees)
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk (any fat content)
Kosher salt to taste

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil, then add the onion, carrot, purees and meat. Cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Drain the fat and add the broth, tomato paste, and herbs. Simmer until the juices thicken, about 10 minutes, then add the peas.

4. Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish; set aside.

5. Meanwhile, bring the potatoes to a boil in salted water. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes; drain.

6. Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk, and salt.

7. Spread them over the meat mixture, then crosshatch the top with a fork.

8. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

Floors ... remodel

Joe set up the computer so I am back online and not totally dependent on my iphone. The only bad thing is the computer is in our bedroom along with all the other stuff from the study. It's at the foot of the bed and while our room has much better lighting and circulation than the study, it is just one more thing we have to maneuver around. I don't even make the bed anymore. What's the point?!?!

We are also putting in wood floors in the upstairs living room. I told Joe that if we couldn't get all the floors done BEFORE the little lady arrives then I didn't want to do it until she was 1 because I didn't want to have to deal with all the mess with a tiny new born and a toddler about to (hopefully not) enter into the terrible twos.

Today he ripped out the carpet upstairs leaving Devon and I trapped in the kitchen and living room all day. That's how it felt anyway. Basically the only semi-clean places in the entire house. We went to the gym in the morning, but in the afternoon we had to wait for some people to come and look at the floors so we didn't have enough time to go anywhere and be back home by the time they were supposed to be here. I was SO exhausted and it was my own fault (since I stayed up til midnight and got up with Devon at 6:45), but leaving the house would have saved my life and gotten me through the afternoon.

By the way the jerks never showed. Typical.

I know I sound spoiled ... complaining about the process of putting in new wood flooring and how inconvenient it is. I know that Joe is working so hard to get it done as well as the stress and extra work that gets heaped on him with his regular day-to-day job. He is doing a lot of the prep work himself as well as doing the landscaping. He is exhausted at the end of the day. BUT ... I am uncomfortable as it is being pregnant and I have to live in it with a toddler!!! I am somewhat of a neat freak and all this clutter has literally given me a constant headache and cleaning anything but the bathrooms is pretty much useless. I just hope that it all gets done before the baby arrives.

Oh, and if anyone wants to save us from the mess, feel free to invite us over for a play date ;)

Time Out!

Long story short:
- We had a leaky roof that leaked rain into our study.
- We discovered that we had a MAJOR mold problem in the study and had to tear out some of the walls and the carpet to get rid of it.
- We had to re-roof the roof.
- EVERYTHING that was in the study is now in the master bedroom in stacks and piles ... SO aggravating to sleep surrounded by computer parts, wires and random junk that you can't throw out, but don't really have anywhere to put it.
- We are in the process of putting in new wood floors (YEAH YEAH YEAH), but God knows how long that will take.

To sum up ... no computer during the process. I was able to jump on Joe's work lap top to write this and then it's back to my iphone and I am not willing to do any sort of major computer work from there. Such a pain. No more blog posts (or emails really) until the floors are in and everything is put back into the study which could be a few weeks or a few days ... who knows.

Miss me!