Birthday Eve

Since tomorrow is Cub's 1st Birthday, it won't be Wordless Wednesday.

So, today I'm being a little lazy and spending time thinking about what I was doing this time last year.

At this time last year, 7:15 PM  . . . I was feeling some gas pains.  

Here is our little Cub today.  He isn't very interested in walking yet, but he's doing a lot of standing on his own practice.

1st Birthday Party!

Today we had a little 1st birthday party for Cub and some of his friends.

I'm  too tired to write, so I'll just post some of my favorite pictures.

Running & Allergies (or maybe, a cold)

Yesterday, I did a long(ish) hill run.  I don't think I've done a real hill run since before Cub was born (months before).   It was a nice cool morning and I took advantage of it.  I also took advantage of Cub's 3:30 AM wake up call so I got my run started at 4:50 AM.  I'm a couple weeks away from Zooma and I guess there's no time like the present to start training for the challenging hill course.  I'm not delusional, I'm sure we'll  (my mom and I) be walking part of this course. 

So, I seem to have caught Cub's cold - that or my allergies are going nuts.  This makes running not so much fun because in addition to all the sweat I'm producing, I'm also showering the ground with snot.  Thankfully I run at an hour when very few people are awake.  It's bad enough that I scare the deer, I don't need to scare school children too.  

Speaking of Cub's cold - he still has it but he's feeling MUCH better.  Buttin and I happily told each other this afternoon, "he's back" - meaning, our playful son has returned even though he has lots of snot too. 

Here he is being playful this afternoon.

New Doctor #2

Last week, I met with a new pediatrician.

Dr. Santa (New Doctor #1) was good, but I prefer someone closer and maybe a little more, I don't know, different - it's hard to explain.

I heard lots of good things about a practice with a satellite office close to our home (like less than 2 miles away). I called and asked if I could meet with a specific doctor - just a brief visit. I guess no one calls asking to meet with a doctor before their child gets sick (my request was met with a lukewarm, "hmm . . I don't know"), but the office staff and doctor were agreeable (had they not been, this wouldn't have been a good option for us).

The office manager gave me a tour, explained to me what they could/could not do in their on-site lab, gave me a packet of information and spent no less than 30 minutes answering my questions and discussing Cub. I felt like I was being courted. If you took all my doctor visits while pregnant, plus all of Cub's pediatrician visits and added all the time I've spent talking with a doctor's office manger I don't think it would equal 30 minutes. It was nice to know that they would spend this much time with someone who wasn't even making a co-pay.

Next I met the doctor. I read her online bio and my interest was most peaked by the fact that she ran in the Boston Marathon (she later clarified that it was an unofficial entry) - I now call her, Dr. Boston (oddly enough the actual name of Molly's vet). She's also run in other marathons (officially).

Dr. Boston and I spent about 40 minutes talking about various kiddo issues - from allergies to vaccines to Cub's lack of interest in non-pureed food. She has warmth, but isn't too fakey-sugary and I like that she considers herself part of a child-care team.

She also really likes Dairy Queen, so she must be good!

I made Cub's one year appointment with Dr. Boston.

Here's Cub's picture today - it's like he's saying - Really mom, another picture?

Misfit Monday

Not a lot for Misfit Monday today.

Not because there aren't misfit stories - I'm just tired.

We got some surprising, but delightfully happy news today - we received a pretty substantial refund from our rent for 2010. I guess they estimate expenses and the over-estimated - thus, a rebate. I think we're going to use the money for misfit tracking collars.

In Cub illness news, he seems to have returned to the coughing-like-crazy kiddo he was on Friday. No fever - just lots of coughing, lots of snotting and not a lot of smiling. Bi-polar baby has also returned.

Happy one minute.

Very unhappy the next.

Poor guy. I hope he starts feeling better soon - he has a little joint birthday party with some of his buddies this weekend - Gigi, Nana, MorMor and Dadoo will all be in town to celebrate!

Phew

It's been a very busy few days.

I was very thankful to have my mother in town Thursday and Friday to help with sicko baby. We all took turns having him sleep on our chest (both nights and for naps) and it was nice to have her here.

Friday evening Buttin and I went to see The Lincoln Lawyer (cookie review soon) with Liz and Jonathan - super fun.

Saturday I went to Houston to attend my friend Nana's baby shower (she's have twin girls) - I was exhausted when I got home around 7:30.

Thankfully, Graby seemed better and he slept in his bed last night from 6:15 - 5 and then from 5:15 - 7:30 this morning. He ate a little better today and slept for 2.5 hours on Buttin's chest while I went to friend Allison's Pampered Chef party (I bought some toys for Cub).

I think little Cub has a lot of sleep catching up to do - he's pretty adorable, but has some little under eye circles.

Quick Sick Post

Graby had a fever this morning. They called us from school about 10 minutes after I dropped him off (way to go, Mom). Buttin actually said Cub felt kind of warm this morning, but I thought it was his normal wake up warmness.

Buttin picked Cub up from school and when they got home he ended up sleeping on Buttin's chest for 2.5 hours.

Thankfully, MorMor had already planned to come up today for a visit (she always seem to come when he's sick or teething), so Cub got lots of snuggle time.

By the time I got home this afternoon, he was much more playful, but still snuggly and not very hungry. He in a pretty good mood, not fussy but not 100%.

A Little Shopping

Today, I made my first visit to a resale shop to buy some summer clothes for Cub. He has to stop wearing onesies when he moves up to his new classroom and they anticipate at least three wardrobe changes per day.

Here's Cub in one of his new shirts. Aren't I a good mom? I kept taking pictures as he was falling over. He looks like a strange Dr. Seuss character.


Don't worry - he wasn't injured. Here's one of him smiling (without his new shirt).

Running Update

One of my un-posted New Year's Resolutions was to write at least ONE post a week about running. I'm not doing an excellent job at keeping up with the writing, but the good news is that I AM running.

Sadly, it's already starting to get warm. I went out this morning - 68 and about 200% humidity. Bleh. Oh well, this is running in Texas and you'd think I'd be used to it by now. In a few months - I'll WISH it was 68 (meaning it will be 80 when I start running at 5 AM).

Onto Graby news. He has been teething for what feels like all his life and I think we finally found a "toy" that offers him some relief - a vibrating tooth brush.

I know it doesn't look like he really LOVES it in this picture, but he does.

Friends Bite Back!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


Today at school Cub was spending time in his new classroom (with the bigger kids) and he decided to bite one of his friends on the finger (kind of difficult to call this one a "kiss"). This friend bit Cub back - ON THE FACE! Seriously, I'm beginning to think these kids are either really fast at biting or the teachers are really slow.

Oh well, I guess this is all a part of growing up - sometimes you're the biter and sometimes your the bitee and sometimes your both (like Cub) all in one day.

Swim! Swim!

It's back in the pool time!

Buttin bought TWO pools for Cub today - one to use right away and one as a spare in case the first one gets torn or yucky.

The new pool is about twice the size of last year's pool! We splurged for the $15 pool, instead of the $10 one.

It was a little on the chilly side, but it was a beautiful day. Cub took to the water like no time (it's been about five months) had passed since he last went swimming.

I'm looking forward to many more afternoons in the pool.

Running & Biting

RUNNING

I ran this morning for the first time since STOMACH BOMB 2011. It was a nice, cool morning and even though it was just a quick 3 miles, it felt good to move in a direction other than towards the bathroom.

BITING

Cub got his first "incident report" at school yesterday for biting a child on the arm. I also got a call from his teacher. The incident report is worded rather sweetly (I think they're trying to protect my feelings):

Cash was giving kisses to a friend and then bit the friend on the arm.

Whoops.

Maybe the friend had it coming? Just kidding.

In addition to discussing Cub's biting with the teacher, she also gave me a nifty little article about oral motor development and sensory activities. Parent fail.

She doesn't think Cash is biting because he's frustrated or angry, she thinks it has more to do with him needing variety in his food textures. The problem is Cub doesn't seem to like finger foods (like puffs) very much. She recommended chewy things like dried fruit. Cub didn't seem to enjoy dried fruit. We also tried beef jerky last week and he seems to be much more fond it than dried fruit.

We're having our first parent/teacher conference on Tuesday to discuss ways to focus his biting away from human flesh as well as his transition to the next classroom. That's right, sniff - sniff, Cub is moving up. Apparently, he's already been spending time in his new classroom with the bigger kids and really enjoys it. He might be ready to move up, but I don't think I'm ready.