Archive for January, 2006
Today I received a call from my friend Kadri, who lives in Washington. It’s always wonderful to hear from an old friend. We talked about our kids and the different stages they were going through. Every time I speak to her I wish we lived closer. We used to see each other everyday and now we are lucky for once a year, but I digress.
We stumbled on the topic of parenting philosophies. She is a very strong advocate of no television. I understand the concept, but find myself watching the tube while I feed Aiden his bottle. He is smart enough to know that if he turns his head he will see neat things flash and move. He understands that this super cool box is in the living room and our bedroom and it sometimes is a very interesting thing to look at. I don’t sit him in front of it while he is playing or use it as a babysitter, but it is occasionally on (ok, more than occasionally). I’ve heard about the studies trying to connect television and ADHD for kids under two years of age and I know that if there is a chance this is correct than it couldn’t hurt to try and stimulate Aiden in other ways.
I read to him, teach him sign language, we play with blocks and cars, sing and dance and I encourage him to practice what will eventually be crawling. I talk to him and he “talks” to me. What I can’t seem to do is keep the big flashy box off. I have grown up watching television and sadly have used it as a way to fill in the quiet of the house. I automatically put it on when I sit down in front of it. My main concern is that Aiden will pick up my bad habits and I am worried about being a good role model.
I noticed lately that he tends to look at the television even when it isn’t on, expecting something magical to happen, I suppose. I am aware of his fondness of it and try my best to keep it off, but my bad habits are hard to break. So I will take it one day at time, trying to be the best parent I can.
January 10th, 2006
My morning started at about 3:30 am. No, Aiden did not wake me, nor did Chris, it was my active imagination. I was dreaming something Harry Potter-ish in a cafeteria and being trapped in a school by the “bad people” and trying to escape out of a window of the room they were holding me in and somehow getting away, it was strange. My guess is the 5-10 minutes of watching the Goonies yesterday while channel surfing had something to do with it. That’s when I woke up.
I actually got out of bed, once again not because of Aiden, but because I heard car doors slamming just outside my window. Apparently our neighbors were leaving excruciatingly early for some trip and were not being very quiet about it. I could hear them going in and out of the house and in and out of the car. Needless to say that when I crawled back into bed, I was unable to attain any decent sleeping pattern as I then could hear Aiden crying periodically for brief moments. The alarm was unkind blaring its rapid beeping noise in my ear.
Chris, who had a flawless night’s sleep, couldn’t wait to go in and check on Aiden, so I did not protest when he said he was getting him. Minutes later, Chris came in with Aiden who was dressed in different pajamas than the ones he had on last night. Aiden had wet the bed, through the Pampers Baby Dry and soaked his pajamas, his wedge pillow, the sheet and the mattress pad. GOOD MORNING!
That’s how my morning started. I fed Aiden breakfast, made Chris’s lunch, changed Aiden’s bed, took a shower, got dressed, ate breakfast and straightened up the downstairs all before Fiona dropped off Matthew. When they arrived she informed me Matthew has Bronchitis and needs to be given medication four times a day that may make him hyper. I braced myself for a very trying day, but the tides turned.
Both Aiden and Matthew took two very nice naps at the same time, so I was able to relax and get some things done in the house. Even though Matthew was sick, he was as pleasant as he normally is and I gave him some extra love anyway. Aiden was as good as gold “cruising” from the coffee table to the activity table as if he didn’t really need to be hanging on (which of course he does) to show me he can walk. The boys even let me take pictures of them attempting to crawl. All in all a pretty good day.
I’m off to bed in hopes that I have a very uneventful night.
January 9th, 2006
Oh what a beautiful day! Today’s weather was just fabulous for January, in the mid to high forties. After we de-Christmased the house and Aiden took his morning nap, off to the canal we went to take a walk. Our friend Shelia and her lovely daughter Skylar joined us and we had a wonderful time. It was nice to get outside and we can’t wait until we make time to get out again.
Chris, Shelia, and I walked, pushed the kids around and talked about lots of things. I caught Shelia up on all the things the mommies in our group have been up to: Erin, Robert and baby Sophia are still visiting family in California, Coleen, Jose and baby Colin are still in Washington state visiting family, Vicky is pregnant with number two, Matthew (son of Fiona and Bill) has been sick. Sophia is going to be turing one this month and we brainstormed some ideas of how to celebrate her birthday. Fiona’s birthday is this month also, so I need to find out what she wants to do for the monthly “mommies only” night out. We talked about our kids, how Aiden just loves to play with Chris and how Skylar acts differently around mom and dad. Aiden was laughing and giggling while we played with him and Shelia mentioned that Skylar doesn’t really laugh. Funny how kids are so different, with their crazy personality traits.
The walk seemed to drain us all of any energy we had left. The rest of the day was very uneventful and even Aiden, who is usually rip roaring ready to play, was on the down low. He was perfectly happy hanging out in his exersaucer. We have noticed something interesting about this beloved toy, it seems to inspire the boy to poop. Doesn’t matter what time of day it is that we put him in it, he will make every effort to take a dump while he’s there. I think it might be becuase it is easier for him to go while standing then when he is sitting, but it just cracks us up. Today we put him in it this morning while we were taking down the Christmas tree and BAM! the stench was overwhelming. This evening, while we watched an episode of Northern Exposure (season 3) he was in his saucer and BAM! again. Quite the phenomenon if you ask me.
January 8th, 2006
Aiden has been with just me all week (except Monday) and all he can say is, “Dadadadadadadadada!” Singing it, shouting it and all around making me feel like, well, I’m not sure how it makes me feel. I am thrilled that he enjoyed the ten days home with mommy and daddy together. But it seems as though the first few days without Daddy was very difficult for Aiden to take. Very needy, wanting to be held, and calling Daddy. So, today is Friday, Aiden is better and actually wants to play with me, giving me hugs and lots of great baby love. So, my little insecurity has taken care of itself.
Chris came home from work, is home for the weekend and all is right in Aiden’s world once again. We played, he ate and there were some Christmas presents that Grandma and Grandpa from Florida sent up late, but not forgotten. So Aiden had a grand old time ripping the paper and being fascinated by the telephone. He received really nice clothes from their adventurous cruise to the Caribbean and we got the cutest food processor. The week is over and now things can get back to the way Aiden likes it, with both his parents home.
January 6th, 2006
Well, today is the day, it’s official. I had a great run up until now. Aiden has reduced his napping schedule from three naps down to two. I know, I know, some of you are thinking, “Hey, at least you get two (or even one)!” but I was able to get so much more done during the day!
Aiden has been sleeping through the night since he was one month old (I know, we’re very lucky) unless his teeth bother him (then it’s sporadic, I want mommy in my room, sleeping with blood-curdling screams in between). In the early months he used to eat, stay up maybe an hour and then sleep. I was in heaven, not because I didn’t want to be with him, but because I felt so productive.
He is much more active and fun to play with now, so this new awake time is nothing to complain about, but the house looks like a bomb hit it. I did take some time this mornig to do a yoga/pilates workout, thinking that I had time in the afternoon to clean/straighten the house. I guess I will have to wait until the weekend to catch up, when Daddy time is more available. Until then I can work on helping Aiden practice the art of crawling, currently he looks more like he’s skydiving.
January 5th, 2006
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