Phases and Stages

I know I have said it a thousand times but I am still amazed at the quick changes that just keep on happening. Yes, I understand that this is what is supposed to happen but it all happens so quick there is sometimes no time to adjust to one phase because it is constant change. Jack is getting bigger and bigger and much smarter all the time. Hes now 14.5 months and I must say it is an interesting age. I look at him now and feel like wow he is a little boy, hes not a helpless baby anymore. Part of me misses that little peanut very much and part of me loves to watch him grow.

Its funny because when he was younger he would do something and my reponse was always, oh he doesn't know what hes doing, its not intentional, he doesn't understand yet. Now, though its only months later its different. Hes running around the house, he makes this crazy mean looking face, he throws things, doesn't listen for beans and can't seem to sit still for two minutes (unless hes asleep). Its funny because while yes he is now able to do so much more he still can't exactly understand right from wrong, he doesn't understand empathy yet, he can't read others emotions... and yet sometimes I find myself expecting way too much from him. He is only a baby still and yet I sometimes expect that he understand that throwng the sippy cup is annoying and not a game, that you are only supposed to use the hockey club with a ball not to hit people. I'm pretty sure there is a name for this, something about looking at a child as a little person when they are not yet capable of comprehending things the same way, that we expect too much of them at a young age.

I consider myself to be a smart person and yet I find myself getting aggrivated over the silliest things sometimes and then one minute later I'm like, well of course hes laughing, hes a baby and everything is funny. I then just get annoyed at myself. Its sometimes hard to step back and just take a breath. I'm not at all saying that there is no need to correct and try to explain because I know at some point he will begin to see a pattern and start to understand what is ok and what is not. I can't fault him for not understanding, he has a long way to go and I must learn to be more patient. I think most of us have these moments. I know that new challenges will continue to arise and some things will get easier. These are the phases and stages that we as mothers go through right along with our children. I guess it is all part of the learning process for all of us and working hard to find the ways that work for us.

He is a doll, hes so funny and has little quirks about him. He has a way of just looking at me and Steve that melts our hearts and makes us forget in the blink of an eye that he just dumped a dish of food on the floor, or pulled on the cats tail. We can't help but laugh at the things he does, when sometimes laughing probably isn't the right reaction. He is growing into an amazing little person and all these little bumps in the road are part of life to be taken one step at a time. I never did think this would be easy....

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Home Sweet Home

Ahhh, vacations are always wonderful but I always feel the need to get home by the end of it. By the way, when I say home sweet home, I do not mean NJ but simply my home where my husband was and all our things. We left for Canada last Thursday and arrived home at 2 am Tuesday morning... oh yea that is a story!

Here it was Jacks first real vacation and his first flight. If you have been reading my blog then you know I was quite nervous about the whole process. Thankfully Jack proved me totally wrong! He did amazing!!! Granted the actual airport part isn't easy because he wanted to run around but the flights themselves could not have gone any better! Both flights he was pretty content just hanging out on my lap, flipping through the sky mall to find pictures of kitties. He didn't make a single cry of pain or frustration, there were however a few screams of excitement. He even clapped at the end of the flight when we arrived in CA. I was so nervous that the pressure in his ears would make for a miserable trip but he didn't seem to be bothered at all. Certainly the quietest baby on a plane ever, I'm sure!


Our first day was just a hang out day with the family. Jack and I finally got to meet cousin Nolan! Him and Jack had lots of fun together though Jack was a bit rough with him... and yea Nolan is 3 but Jack didn't seem to mind the size difference! We had a lovely lunch, spent the afternoon hanging out in the yard, Jack played in the kiddie pool with Nolan and then we had a wonderful dinner. I have no idea how he did it but Jack was up at 520 am on Thursday to leave the house, he napped in the airport for about 25 minutes and then didn't sleep again until 830 that night... he was out cold by then! I guess there were too many new people and there was too much to do to give into sleep. He was a trooper! No surprise though that a playpen didn't work... just like home he screamed his head off when I put him in so instead I took out the mattress and put it on the floor.... I could lay with him until he fell asleep and then leave him. It worked out prefect and he adjusted to it quickly!

Day 2... Hung out at the house, did some grocery shopping and waited for some more canadian family to arrive. It was so great to see everyone! And yea Jack spent most of the day in and out of the pool again. That night my moms cousin had made reservations for the family (40 of us) to go have dinner at a massive chinese buffet while they went to the rehearsal dinner. This buffet was not like they have here... this place was massive and packed! Jack, though I fed him dinner before since we weren't going until 7....well he ate like a little piggie... he had his first taste of noodles and chicken dumplings. I have no idea where my little guy fits all the food but he definitely loves to eat! It was a late night but he did great again! While he has his moments he is so good and easy going!

Day 3... My cousin Alex's wedding day!!! Ok so I must say with like 15 family members in one house, full blown Italians... the morning was not a peaceful one... there is always a bit of drama... who doesn't like their hair... me I brought 2 black dress shoes from different pairs... any how we all managed to get ourselves together after there were a few screaming matches between a couple of aunts..... The wedding was at the Toronto Botanical Gardens... a beautiful setting.. perfect for the outdoor ceremony. Its funny because the receptions there are so different then here... a lot more causal and not nearly as foo foo.... Jack took a liking to the DJ, perhaps he liked his long red curly hair??? It was adorable to watch Jack run around with the other kids even if he had no idea what was going on. It was great to see everyone! My the end of the night Jack was pooped so we cut out a little early otherwise he would have been a very unhappy camper... I must say thank goodness for GPS! I got drove us all over Toronto no problems!

Day 4... Breakfast with the family then we headed over to the Toronto Zoo with my mom, uncle, cousin Vin, his wife and daughter and my moms cousin. What a massive place! We got some more use out of the harness! He fights it a little but once he's distracted he doesn't seem to mind as long as he gets to run around. It was a hot day which made it rough, maybe more so for me then Jack, I am not a heat person! Makes me a bit cranky actually. I think the only thing that Jack really got into were the big "kitties" and the seagulls flying around... yup good ol seagulls, but hey the kid likes birds! Jack and I shared lunch, chicken fingers and fries... Jack had his first taste of ketchup and just like his mommy, he loved it, even tried to stick the whole little cup in his mouth. He just kept on dipping the same fry into it, so cute! He was pooped from all the excitement and totally conked out in the car!

Thats it last day.... Spent a little while at this cute place, Spring Ridge Farm... they had an adorable store, a enormous sand box, a little maze (with no turns) which Jack enjoyed running through, an area with giant hay stacks that Jack enjoyed running through and getting on top of, a little tractor ride (which we skipped) and a area you could feed goats and chickens. Jack had fun! We grabbed some lunch there, Jacks came in a sand pail, really cute!

WOW I missed Steve and couldn't wait to go home but it did go by fast and I am so glad that I went. We don't get to see each other often enough! Actually the flight home is the best part of the story... Its amazing that always when your trip is at its end and you are super ready to get home... thats when all the crap begins! So our flight was supposed to depart at 540 pm. Before leaving for the airport I checked the flight and it was listed as on time. Yippie! We get there to check in and are told there is a 2 hour delay already. FANTASTIC... who knew it was going to just keep getting worse... The customs line was ridiculous and took an hour to get through... Jack was not very happy so yea that was a bit of a struggle... we get through there, breeze through security and start making our way to the gate.... still the flight is listed as being delayed 2 hours... we go to grab dinner and surprise surprise the restaurant doesn't have high chairs... can't catch a break! We go back to the little stand and get a pre wrapped sandwich, yuck! Go back down to the gate, which I might add was in a corner downstairs all by itself... at this point Jack is getting fussy, he hadn't had an afternoon nap and is being very stubborn. Me and my mom try for a while to get him to sleep but he keeps fighting... finally he fell asleep around 730 pm. Oh and did I mention that at this point they have made an announcement that all flights going in and out of Newark were grounded due to bad storms.... great further delays or who knew at that point if we were even getting out of there that night... I was determined to stick it out especially since we finally got Jack to sleep. The flights were back on and then off again and then finally some good news.... the plane we were getting on had finally left Newark at 930 pm! YAY we were going to get home, I didn't care how late at this point... just wanted to get home! Jack, thankfully slept until 10.. he ran around for a while and then finally around 11 we boarded the plane.... The flight itself was perfect. Jack did amazing again! Finally made it home a little after 2am Tuesday morning, ugh it was a long long day but so great to see Steve and be home

Overall a great first vacation experience with the peanut! Really looking forward to the cruise with the three of us!

Countdown to Canada!

I have to admit that as it gets closer, leaving in a few days, I am getting a bit more nervous. I don't at all regret deciding to take the trip because I am thrilled that I will get to see everyone!! I'm so glad that I will be there for my cousins wedding since we have missed several events in the past few years because of conflicting schedules.

I think its a few things that are running through my head at this point. The first being that Steve won't be with us, so theres two things there, my first time traveling without him and that he won't be there to help out with Jack. Yes my mom will be there but she hates flying so it will be interesting. Then there is the simple thing of being away from Steve for 4 days, yes I know thats really not a long time but we haven't been apart for that long in a very long time!! Yes we are that couple, can't sleep well when the other isn't right there next to us. Then there is the whole pain the butt process at the airport! Ugh... finding your gate, security, waiting and waiting because there is never a flight on time at Newark! I have decided to check my bag. Was going to try and get away with just a carry on but thinking if I check it, well thats one less thing I have to worry about dragging around... instead I will only have to worry about my backpack filled with diapers and bottles and Jack of course! The flight itself is a big worry. I am kind of dreading how Jack will do. My child doesn't sit still for more then a couple minutes unless he is asleep so it will be interesting to see how he does. Then there is the whole pressure in the ears which bugs me so I can't imagine how Jack will feel. Hoping he will just take a bottle, so help with the pressure and that maybe, just maybe he will fall asleep since it will be an early start to the morning.

It is just going to be so weird to be away from Steve! Ok, so backwards a bit... I've started packing and as I go I seem to remember more and more things that I use for Jack on a daily basis, and yea that is a LOT of stuff! I am lucky because my cousin has a car seat and play pen for me to use. Steve then remember the little travel booster seat thing too which I might shove into the suitcase since I am bringing the big one now anyhow. Its funny how such a little person needs so many things! We've never been away from home for more then a night so this is all new to me and I have no doubt that for this one I will be overpacked! Oh well, live and learn I suppose. This will also be a good tester to see how he handles flying since we may fly out to Arizona next winter to visit family.

Fingers crossed! Wish us luck! Will post after we get home on how everything went!

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Its a Damn Shame

This is a short one but figured it is important to make others aware...

What a shame... I just read an article about a new study done on lead content of childrens juices and snacks. The article I read is posted on the seventh generation website (unfortunately i'm having trouble linking it)

Here I am, I try as often as possible to get items for Jack that are all natural or organic and even that isn't enough. A new study has shown that some very huge brands are putting out products for consumption with high levels of lead in them... "The results: 125 out of 146 products tested, or 85 percent, contained alarming amounts of lead." You can view the list of products and whether or not the items tested positive on the seventh generation website.

Its just aggravating when you think you are doing good and in fact these companies are not as safe as they claim to be. How are we supposed to know this, who are we supposed to trust? Its a bit ridiculous that we pay extra for organic items and even those might still be harmful. Is there any alternative short of raising your own meat, growing your own produce, etc??

I guess we should be very thankful for these independent research groups that blow the whistle on these things but it's ridiculous that this is what has to be done to get a safe product. Shouldn't these things be tested for before a product is given the okay to get out there on the grocery store shelves? Makes you wonder what the hell have we been consuming over our lifetimes? Who knows what it could have done or is doing to our bodies.... we need to go back in time and become self sustainable like the amish!

Fireworks!

Before I go into the exciting weekend we had figured I'd give a quick update on the new things Jack has been doing. So first, still expanding the variety of food for him. He downed a fresh fig yesterday! He has at least tried just about anything, except seafood and nuts but besides that the list is endless! I am lucky, my kid loves to eat! And even better he will eat almost anything you give him! He loves ice cream just like his mommy and actually like pickles also like mommy, but no not together! He is getting so big, it kind of makes me sad! I feel like hes going to be taller then me soon. So he's been saying mama for a while now and knows its me, his new thing is that he points and taps my arm and says mama... so cute!!! Dada is still a little rough... comes out either as bubba, gaga or even mama (opps!). His vocabulary is getting there too! Bubbles, ball, bbrrrr (yup when he touches something cold), woah... its so cute to hear that little voice! He is also starting to climb up on things taller then hes been and now enjoys spinning himself in circles!! He is so much fun to play with and his laugh just makes us smile! He is still chasing the kitties around with whatever he can swing, yes we are working on being gentle. And swinging.... he loves anything that resembles a stick that he can run around the house with and swing at all the balls, his or the cats, doesn't make a difference to him. I'm thinking he just might be an awesome golfer or hockey player!

That leads me into this weekend, and yea definitely a busy one. Friday night is daddys hockey night so we went to watch and as usual Jack loved it! Everyone gets a kick out of him when he cheers and after the games he grabs whoevers stick is laying on the ground and starts walking around with it. They won by the way! YAY still undefeated... this from a team that two years ago lost every single game! GO MITSUBARU!

Saturday I took Jack for a bike ride with his papa (my dad). Jack I think still has mixed feelings about the whole thing. He certainly isn't a fan of being strapped down and the whole helmet thing is a mini battle. Once we get going hes generally content though most rides he ends up toting along with a bottle in his mouth... we always go in the morning before it gets uber hot which means that half way through is usually around nap time so thats when the crankiness begins and the bottle goes in. For me, I was also feeling a bit on the cranky side, actually for the past two bike rides... my knees are bugging me on those hills! Hoping it eventually fades. ((On a side note... still going to ZUMBA and still loving it!!! I've lost 2 lbs so far, slow and steady i guess. I've actually also signed up for a trial membership at gym where I can do a classes only membership. First class there I think will be Wednesday night zumba, so we'll see how it goes.)) After the bike ride we went to lunch with Steve and my parents and Jack very much enjoyed his ice cream after his grilled cheese. He gets so darn mad when you take it away... pretty sure if we left it up to him, he'd finish it all. Then the fun... we rented a carpet cleaner to do the rugs at the house... i am a bit embarrassed to say but this is the first time since we've moved into the house, yea 3 years... and yup as expected... it was gross how black that water came out! Certainly going to be doing this more often now! And for a while anyhow I will be one one of the crazies that makes you take your shoes off at the front door.

Ok so Saturday night (deserves its own paragraph)... We met up with my brother, his fiance and some of their friends for dinner. Afterwards we headed over to Red Bank for the fireworks... what a mess!!! Good thing is that they closed off the streets because there were a lot of teenager roaming around!! We had to park far away and walk but it was nice out so it wasn't so bad. There was a zillion people all over to we figured that when Jack got tired of sitting in the stroller we'd give the harness a try. As i've mentioned before my opinion of the child harness has made a 360* since having Jack... previous opinion is that they were ridiculous and that leashes were meant for pets not kids... now the complete opposite! They are brilliant! Kids want to run around and parents want to not have their child lost = the harness is a great solution! So we gave it a try and yes I still think it looks silly, it totally works... Jack felt like he had some freedom to roam but I was never more then a couple feet behind him with a hold on him. Oh course we got looks and even some lovely gentlemen made a comment as he walked by with his friends... "oh look at the cute little dog"... c'mon really? Its really not nice to call some ones child a dog! Learn some manners. Anyhow jack was getting tired and cranky but finally the fireworks started and he got a kick out of them... pointing and "oohhh", so cute! The real mess started at the end... trying to clear out was ridiculous with the amount of people... I was actually waiting to get trampled.. we finally made it out onto the street and there in the middle of the road to our right are a bunch of idiots fighting... then town minutes later to our left another idiot is setting off fireworks in the middle of the very crowded road! Why do people have to do stupid things when there are young people, kids, and well behaved adults all around??? GROW UP!!!! So to avoid all that chaos we go down an alley where there happens to be two cops running over to another fight... I really couldn't believe that this was the scene in Red Bank! We finally make it back to the car and just sit there because we can't get out of the parking lot... to cut to the end... it took about 45 minutes just to get to the parkway... thankfully Jack passed out 10 minutes into the car ride.

Sunday... HAPPY 4TH!!! BBQ, pool and wiffle ball game at my Uncles house.... it was a good day! Especially good since we won!!!!

So there you go... an eventful weekend! Hope everyone had a fun and safe weekend of festivities!!!