Keeping Track of Lauren & Jack » September 2008 Journal Entries » AboutMyBaby - online baby scrapbooks, photo albums, videos, birth and pregnancy announcements

< > September 2008

Sun, Sep 28, 2008 12:23 PM
On Friday Allison came up with the idea of picking up the girls from school and heading straight to Busch Gardens sicne we all have passes. Of course I spent the entire morning trying to locate Jack's pass, only to realize when we got there that he was free the last time we went, so he didn't have one! Ugh! Unfortunately they closed early to get ready for their Howl'O Scream Halloween Party, so we only had just over an hour to play once we got there. We'll have to plan better next time!

Yesterday we continued our tradition of me taking Lauren to ballet, Mike taking Jack to MyGym and then meeting up for lunch. Then Lauren went swimming while Jack napped, and then they went on an expedition with Daddy to Home depot.

Today they were playing outside most of the morning, riding on their bikes and keeping Mike company while he did yardwork. Our neighbor Dominick has been playing with them too. Jack invited him inside a while ago, and the funniest thing was him telling him he loved him, and showing him all his toys. When he showed him his monster truck, he said "Dominick, when I go poo poo on the potty, I'm gonna get another monster truck!" I almost burst out laughing!

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Tue, Sep 23, 2008 11:25 PM
Today's Music together class was better than last time. Even though they still set a bad example sometimes, they both listened to me much better and they seemed to really enjoy themselves. Then afterwards we had fun looking at the water fountain and playing at the playground next door.

Jack actually napped willingly today, and there was no getting up, so I guess he was tired! Then we went straight off to playgroup at the community pool which was great because they swam the entire time and it wore them right out. The only challenge was that the love-bugs are out in force right now, and even though they don't bite or sting, Jack will absolutely shriek in terror if any get even remotely near him. I think he's learned a fear of bugs from all the bad bites he's had, I guess we can't really blame him. Not quite sure how to calm his fears except to keep reassuring him and showing him that they will do no harm.

I got another potty dvd from netflix and it was absolutely useless! Lots of babies sitting around on the potty and singing about the potty. Plus it's only like 10 minutes long. It's called "Once upon a Potty - for him" and I'm really glad I didn't spend the money to buy it! I'm still looking for the inspiration that will make the difference with pooping. But I would say he's got the peeing thing down, he even woke up from his nap comepletely dry.

Another wonderful thing today was that he went straight to sleep tonight and didn't pop up out of bed or come out of his room. I mostly think that was because he was tuckered out, but I'm hoping that he's through with this phase of testing the limits about getting up.

Lauren continues to be devoted to coloring pictures with crayons etc, and now there are flowers and the sun and grass and trees. She also really likes to color things in, and I'll find papers where the entire surface is colored in. I remember pictrues I used to draw that looked like that because my Mom kept a few, so it's amazing to watch her develop. She's also getting really good at coloring within the lines in coloring books.

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Mon, Sep 22, 2008 9:53 PM
Today at pick-up for Jack his teacher Ms. Dima mentioned that Jack's complained about leg cramps a few times. I have only recently been wondering if perhaps his cramps are related to his tendency to walk on his toes. Ms. Dima thinks that he may be lacking a little potassium, and that may be true. I used to be more consistent about making sure he had bananas in his diet because I always heard that being low in potassium can be the cause of cramps. I suppose it can't hurt to try more bananas, but there's yet another thing I want to ask the doctor about.

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Sun, Sep 21, 2008 8:08 PM
Saturday Lauren had ballet, and although she protested saying she was too tired, she seemed to perk up once we got there. I'm not sure what her resisitence is exactly about. I certainly don't want to drag her there against her will, but I also want her to learn that sometimes it does take discipline and sacrifice to do something worthwhile and enriching. (I personally think she's still missing her old teacher Ms Joan.)

Jack had MyGym and according to Mike, he does really well for about the first half hour. Then he starts to sort of go off on his own tagent, which is showing a certain amount of creativity, but reveals that he still has a long way to go with his listening skills. But I think he enjoys it.

Lauren and I joined the boys afterwards for lunch at a new diner type place. Once we got home Jack succeeded in avoiding his nap altogether. I even went in to lay down with him at one point, and I fell asleep and he slipped out! Go figure. . .

Today we went to a 1st birthday party for Gail, little daughter of Amy and Adam Shoemaker who are friends from my theatre group. They have a pool so naturally our kids were the first ones in. Mike stood on the porch and pelted us with water balloons! And he has really good aim! That was really fun and I have vowed to make water balloons at our next pool party.

If that wasn't enough excitement for one day, Jack was begging to go to Beef O'Brady's, a casual sports bar/restaurant nearby for dinner. The kids love it because they have arcade games in there. Mike and I love it because they can run around like crazed fools and no-one seems to mind or even notice!

The one upshot to no nap for Jack is that he was out like a light before 8PM and we had no little visits from him after we had said good night!

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Fri, Sep 19, 2008 2:42 PM
Jack has been doing so well on the potty, but yesterday he had an accident in his underwear which made me feel like we were back at square one. I kept asking him if he needed to go, and he kept saying no. I guess I still need to insist sometimes if it's been a while since he's gone.

He's also been refusing to nap lately. Yesterday he really didn't nap at all, he was in his room for over an hour, screaming and crying and carrying on so much - I finally just gave up. He may be transitionng out of needing to nap, but by dinnertime he was practically delirious. Today he fell asleep in the car on the way home from school, but of course did not transfer into bed, and woke up screaming that he wanted to have lunch. By the time he finally did go down he didn't seem tired anymore. I tried laying there with him since I thought he might fall asleep faster, but today it seemed to have the opposite affect. He did say that he had to go pee-pee on the potty, so we got up for that, and then I made him get back into bed. he screamed a little but then promtly fell asleep. So now he'll be asleep until at least 4PM. Oh well, there goes the afternoon. I guess we can always swim!

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Wed, Sep 17, 2008 9:04 PM
Jack seemed to be much better today, so we sent him along to school even though his sniffles are still lingering a little. He's in pretty good spirits otherwise though. I kept asking him if he felt OK, and he said yes, but he also really wanted to go see the doctor. I think that's mostly because he usually gets a lollipop there after each visit!

The most exciting thing today was that Lauren's Tinkerbell pom-pom fairy slippers came in the mail! They really look a lot like the slippers that Tinkerbell wears in the movie and they fit Lauren perfectly, and they also look comfy! It's hard to beleive that I'm already worried about their Halloween costumes and it's not even October yet, but these things are already selling out in the stores which is why I ordered the shoes online. I got the rest of her costume at the Disney store, so at least I avoided paying shipping on those things. All year she's been saying she was going to be Jessie from Toy Story II, and Jack was going to be Buzz Lightyear. I was hoping we could do a family theme where I would be Bo Peep and Mike could be Woody, but alas, it's not to be this year. Lauren saw an ad for the Tinkerbell light-up wings (of course a Disney store exclusive)and she changed her mind, and that was that. I'm happy enough because it's so hot here on Halloween that a fairy costume is perfect. Well then recently Jack said he wanted to be Spiderman, so I got him that costume, then it was a Power Ranger, so I got him that one too, since they were cheap. But today he said he wants to be a Star Wars storm trouper, and I think I have to put my foot down! I wonder if he'll really keep the masks on, but he's completely obsessed with his Power Ranger costume. So much so that I've hidden it away and told him he can wear it if he poops on the potty. I'm hoping that will provide added motivation!

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Tue, Sep 16, 2008 11:24 PM
Today we stayed home from music class since Jack was runnning a low fever, and I was going to take him to the doctor, but they didn't open until 10, and by then he was doing much better and he continued to improve throughout the day, so we never did go to the doctor after all. He isn't even coughing much, really, just has a bad case of the sniffles. I'm still debating about whether he should go to school in the morning. I guess we'll just have to see how he feels.

Adding onto the "playing house" scenarios they have been doing lately, today Lauren was playing "Mommy" and came to "pick Jack up from school". That involved taking him from the playroom to her room along a winding route around the kitchen/family/living/dining rooms. The most adorable thing was her leading him around holding his hand. Jack totally buys into his role too, it's so funny!

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Mon, Sep 15, 2008 11:40 PM
We've been giving Jack some fiber supplement for his constipaton and he's back on track thankfully. Today though, he came home from school with the sniffles and said he had a sore throat after dinner. He went to bed fine but then woke up a few hours later with a dry rattling cough. I gave him a menthol bath and the steam seemed to relieve some of his chest congestion. We set up the humidifyer in his room and I slathered him with Vicks vapo-rub, and he's been sleeping alright ever since. I'm a little worried about something like whooping cough which is very contagious. I hope he's feeling better in the morning.

Lately when they are playing, I get suspicious when things get quiet, and I find that they've gone into Lauren's room, and they act out our nightly bedtime ritual. Lauren seems to like to put Jack to bed, but she also goes so far as to put her own nightgown on and everything. It's a little like the're playing house. I guess they're just role modeling what they see us do every night, but it really cracks me up!

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Sun, Sep 14, 2008 2:25 PM
Thursday we hosted Lauren's playgroup here at the house in the afternoon, and it went well. We even swam in our pool, and I managed not to feel stressed the entire time. I think that's mostly because Jack was still asleep for quite a while, and also because they are both so competent in the pool now.

Not much going on except for the fact that Jack hasn't pooped in something like 3 days. I think the fact that he's been holding it in, and is now constipated and uncomfortsable. I don't know what else to except give him some fiber supplement in his food. If nothing happens today I'm taking him to the doctor tomorrow.

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Wed, Sep 10, 2008 11:24 PM
Yesterday we had the first class for both kids of the new Music together session. During the class we had an historic event - Jack told me he needed to go potty(without promting, out of the blue), and his pants were dry! Yipee! I think he finally gets it! At least for peeing. Class was fun as usual, but there are a lot of babies and I fear that Jack is setting a bad example to the other toddler boys by running around like a maniac!

Today Jack apparently also asked to go potty at school, so I am very pleased with his progress! Also, yesterday he had a slight accident, but he caught it before he was very wet and he did the rest on the potty, which means he felt himself get wet, was able to stop long enough to tell me, and hold it until we got to the bathroom. But we have hardly any accidents anymore. And apparently he has been really trying to go poo on the potty for Sara. (Like sitting there and grunting!) I have yet to witness such an event.

We've started picking out what Lauren will wear the next day as part of her bedtime ritual, and she has started to get herself dressed in the mornings. It helps that she mostly wears dresses, which are usually easy enough to pull on over her head, but she is doing an amazing job of picking out matching hair accessories. (I wonder where she gets that from?)

Also, they started the reading homework at school and she read me a little book today. I know she's mostly memorizing it, but I was still amazed!

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Sun, Sep 7, 2008 9:14 PM
The kids came with me today on my quest to order blinds for the playroom. After tearing up Home Depot, I made the decision to try Blinds to Go. It wasn't much better there, but luckily there wasn't anyone else in the store at that point! But I did order some blinds and they should be ready this week! Then I can hang the valances and the playroom will finally be completed.

Then it was past lunchtime so we wound up at Denny's at the kids request. They begged and pleaded for these big cups that looked like space ships, but I said no. We have some of those cups at home already, and they come with this yucky slushy drink that they never actually drink anyway. It's difficult, but I'm really trying to say no more often. They just have to learn that they can't always have everything they want the moment they want it.

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Sat, Sep 6, 2008 10:31 PM
This morning Lauren had ballet which is going very well. Today she said they were galloping and skipping and marching in a circle. Jack had his new My Gym class which is almost at the same time. He went there with Mike, and when Lauren was all done we met up with the "Boys" for lunch. Apparently Jack had started the class very well, listening and following directions, but he was sort of unravelling there towards the end. Still, I think the new class is a good match in terms of his size and development level. It's hard to just stand back and watch, but it's also great to see him doing so much on his own. He was pleased because his favorite instructor, Ms. Ashley (Mizz Ash-uh-lee!)was there today.

I think we had no potty realted accidents today, which is amazing considering we were out of the house a lot. I'm really proud of Jack, he's getting the hang of it, even if he is still resistent to the idea a lot of the time.

Lauren has been doing a LOT of coloring with crayons, it is definitley her favorite activity,and lately her pictures are getting more and more recognizable, mostly as faces. Yesterday was the first time she drew some eyelashes! Another thing she did yesterday was trace her hand on some paper, then colored it in, cut it out with scissors, and then decorated it with foamy stickers! It was a very involved process, and I was impressed at how she kept in mind what she wanted to do through each part of it. She's very creative with her use of all the different materials.

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Fri, Sep 5, 2008 9:43 PM
The new potty is definitely helping to get Jack to willingly go and sit on it and try. Thankfully getting a jelly bean each time has not lost it's allure either. He's been doing very well, even if he did pee on the couch yesterday. I blame myself for not making him go right after we finished eating dinner. He pees on the potty fairly consistently now, it's just a struggle to get him to point it down so it stays in the potty and doesn't spray all over the place! He still doesn't ever initiate going on his own. He's getting better at holding it until he's on the potty, but I don't know if he's really associating the feeling of his bladder being full with going to the potty.

School seems fine for both at this point. I'm realizing though that Jack's class is really very different, they don't have specials like PE, Music,Art, Spanish, computers. Not to say they don't do any of those things in the class-room, but I hope he'll transition to the new class in October because I think he'll be ready for it by then.

This evening we went to McDonalds so the kids could play on the playscape with the benefits of a/c. They actually ate fairly well before they played for once, and Jack was holding his own with a bunch of older rambunctious boys. All I kept thinking is, "Oh man, THAT is what I have to look forward to with him!" Luckily I have my princess to counter all that rough and tumble energy. I was sort of surprised that she was the one that almost got trampled this time!

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Thu, Sep 4, 2008 11:49 AM
Tuesday Lauren had a dentist appointment just to re-check, and he said that things look fine and she should just come back in a few weeks for a regular check-up and cleaning. He said that not only does she not need a replacement tooth, it would actually hinder the teeth receding back to where they should be now that she's not sucking her thumb anymore. She still has quite an overbite, so she'll prbably need some sort of orthodontics but hopefully things will improve when she gets her big teeth.

We had a playdate with Taylor that afternoon and they invited us to stay for dinner which was such a treat to have a home cooked meak that I didn't cook! Then the kids were saying they wanted to have a bath there, but that's where i had to draw the line. I mean, we were at their house for about 5 hours!

Yesterday we started to car-pool to school. The idea is that I will drop them all off and Allison will bring Lauren home. Taylor has a booster seat which is easy to move, and there's a drop-off line where they are escorted to their rooms. So I dropped the big girls off and then parked the mini-van and walked Jack into his room. We actually got here early so it was nice to see Jack get some individual attention. It was so weird not to have to run off at 2PM to get Lauren, but I appreciated it since Jack only got to sleep about 1:30.

This morning we have had complete sucess with Jack peeing on the potty(3 times already), but he did poop in his underwear. Ugh. Oh, and we received the doll and the other training pants in the mail. They're still in the wash, but I'm eager to see how they fit. We can't seem to get the doll to work properly, but maybe we're not doing it right, I need to read the directions more carefully. Oh and I also found the other potty which was buried in the garage. It sings all these celebratory songs and makes all these silly noises. Jack loves it! Of course, he's been calling it a car and trying to drive it around, but still. . .

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates
Mon, Sep 1, 2008 11:36 PM
Yeah, so yesterday, I never made it out of my pajamas. I mean, both Mike and I are feeling a bit under the weather, but I think that's ridiculous! I guess I just got to the point where I figured,(say dinnertime) why bother? Everyone else seemed to make it into actual clothes, it was just me being a complete slacker. . .

This morning I was bound and determined to get out of the house, so we went to see the new animated movie "Fly Me to the Moon". It was 3-D which required these big ole glasses. You would think for a kids movie they would provide child size glasses! Getting the kids to keep the glasses on took some doing, but I think even they could see that without the glasses, the movie looked all fuzzy. Jack kept asking me if it was over, (every 5 minutes)but he made it through the whole thing, and even managed to enjoy a lot of it. They munched their way through the popcorn which is a rare treat for them. I can't say it was the best movie I've ever seen, but it was sort of educational. It's all about these 3 flies who apparently stowed away on the first lunar landing. But the 3-D effects were cool!

I wanted to go out to lunch, but Jack actually said he was tired and wanted to go home. So we got Boston Market takeout and headed back. After Jack's nap the kids wanted to go swimming. Since I had finally taken a shower this morning, I decided to watch over them as they swam from the side. Jack didn't last too long, but Lauren stayed in there and did a million jumps and belly flops into the water. I'm actually amazed I was able to let her do that in the pool without being in there. I did have a million heart-attacks, but she survived. I have visions of sitting there with a marguerita and occasionally doling out a calm and cool request. (Oh well, a gal can dream can't I?)

Comments:

Add a comment:

Name: Email:
Comment:

Notify me of scrapbook updates