Parting Gifts

My mom left early Sunday morning.  Like always she definitely spoiled us while she was here.  Is it sad that I sill feel delight when my mom buys me things?  It's like I'm 4 or something.  I know part of it is because she only sees us about 4 times a year and she sees my siblings a lot more.  And part of it is because I am her only daughter and I like stuff =)  This time she left us with two parting gifts to mark her fall visit.

The first is that carousel  you see in the photo.  We were at Castco looking at more of the "stuff' and less of the "bulk food".  Most of you know that I am a Christmas junkie so while I was getting lost in the isles looking mom disappeared with Kolton.  When I found them he was absolutely mesmorized by this carousel.  I think its supposed to be a Christmas decoration like you'd display in a Christmas village but it also plays non-Christmas music two.  Well it hit the trifecta for little man; Music, Blinking Lights, & Spinning!  Mom said he had been staring at it for at least 15 minutes, if not more, and wouldn't let her leave the area.  I just knew we HAD to get it for him and Mom was generous enough to offer to buy it...and it was kinda of pricey.  I'll leave it out for him through Christmas this year but then I think I'll pack it away and only bring it out in December.  It is pretty awesome.  Thanks Mom!

Her other parting gift was this brutal cold, sorry Mom!  She got sick on Thursday night and now all 3 of us have it too!  Mike is traveling and I barely got out of my pj's today.  It isn't the worst cold I've ever had but I'm a big baby when it comes to getting sick.  Thankfully Kolton has taken 4 hour naps both yesterday and today so I haven't been too stressed.  He's also figured out that when I come at him with a tissue I am trying to help him and not suffocate him or something.    I really wish I could take a dose of Nyquil and call it a night.  I just don't trust myself taking it alone in the house with Kolton.  Even though I'm pretty sure he'll sleep through the night;  that stuff knocks me out!  So I think I'll crawl in bed and turn on the Presidential debate.  My guess is that will work just as well =)

Anger Management

I remember the last time my mom left after a visit I had to re-sleep train Kolton.  I think the first couple of nights he cried for a 1/2 hour.  It looks like we will be entering that territory again.  It's honestly not her fault.  Inexplicably both times little man started to get incredibly clingy before she even set foot in the door.  But if memory serves me right I think it only took 4 or 5 days for him to settle back into a smooth bed time routine.  It breaks my heart but I refuse to be held hostage.  Especially when I know he can do it.

This past week I saw a lot of little changes in my baby.  He is definitely trying to communicate with his own version of words and even used signs independently for the first time.  He also expressed anger for the first time.  Of course he has been upset and frustrated in the past but this week on two separate occasions he was MAD!  I watched his face turn bright red when I couldn't understand what he was saying after repeated attempts.  Then one night I left the room so that my mom could put him to bed and he stomped the ground and threw a ginormous fit.  Like I said he has been so clingy to me it's almost embarrassing.  It's too bad that its so darn cute.

Well, its been twenty minutes, I think he might be tiring himself out.  Wait....yup, it's finally quiet.  Poor little guy.  I hope he still loves me in the morning.

No Naps

Don't be fooled...since my mom arrived on Sunday Kolton has not napped properly.  It is insane!  But I think this happened the last time she visited as well.  Oh yeah, and not to mention the day after she arrived he decided to wake up before 5am.  WTF!!!!  I've honestly feel like the past few days have been a week.  The crazy thing is he makes it through the day without melting down or throwing too much of a tantrum; just a little one here and there.  But OMG do I miss MY naps!  We painted his room today so we put him down for the night in the pack & play in our room.  This might be interesting.

On a side note today was the first time Kolton got hit by another kid.  We were at the play area at the mall and this other little boy just came up and slapped him in the back.  Kolton just looked up at me a little bewildered.  So I guess it wasn't really that bad.  But it was the first time I had witnessed a deliberate attack on my baby!

Pumpkin Patch 2012

 Isn't it funny the things you do once you have kids that you never cared about doing before.  Like going to the pumpkin patch  I think it's more about entertaining your child with something out of the ordinary.  And of course taking pictures!  The highlight was taking Kolton on his first pony ride.  We really contemplated doing it.  He had already acted scared of the tractor during the hay ride so we weren't quite sure how he would react to a horse.  But he was cool as a cucumber.  We came home with a few funky pumpkins and a lot of great memories.  Ha, ha, was that cheesy enough for ya!

Loooong Week

It's been a really long week somehow.  The combination of Mike being gone all week and no social events on my calendar proved to be somewhat destructive on my well being.  Its still a little hard to stomach why we had to move when Mike is gone this much.  But I think I've been over that more than a few times =)

It's now past 8:00 and Kolton is eating cookies.  I think I just earned myself of loooong night too!

Freaked Out

Well today was one of those days.  I'm sorry I don't have a lot of positive things to say about it.
One thing that made today especially trying was Kolton had a major freak out when I tried to put him in his car seat to go get lunch.  It started last night on the way home from the gym.  He screams and cries and throw his hands over his eyes like he is trying to shield himself from something.  But its been cloudy and rainy so its not the sun.  It is bad you guys.  He acts like he is honestly terrified.  I thought maybe he was scared of the wind shield wipers or something.  But he started to cry before I even started the car.  I don't know what to do. I didn't leave the house again all afternoon.  I have no idea what this could be about.  He's been in this seat for a while now, why all of the sudden is he upset?  What is going through his head?  He's an extremely sensitive little boy sometimes.  But I wouldn't change a thing about him =)

Gotta go, a new episode of Giuliana & Bill is on.  I love them!  Maybe I'll have popcorn for dinner....

Bites

For the past several weeks I have really struggled with finding things Kolton will actually eat.  He'll take little bites here and there but won't eat meals.  Things he used to gobble up now get pushed away.  Every google search results in toddler friendly recipes.  But, what do you do when your kid won't even open his mouth to try anything?  Its extremely frustrating and of course I worry that he isn't getting adequate nutrition.  More than anything I just hope he's not going hungry.  But if he was hungry don't you think he'd eat?????

In other Kolton news I'm starting to suspect he might have really sensitive skin.  His reaction to bug bites is almost alarming.  It takes him a really long time to heal.  I fear some may even scar.  The weather has been really beautiful so I've been trying to spend more time outside.  Last week we were out for only 1/2 hour but I had to take little man in due to no less than 6 mosquito bites that were already turning red.  3 or 4 were clustered on the side of his cheek.  On Friday we went to play at a park.  We were only there for a few minutes when I saw a mosquito land in the exact same spot.  He came home with 3 bites added to his collection.  He had a big puffy red spot about the size of a quarter...but you could see all the individual bites.  Then of course he scratched it and it broke open and bled.  I covered it with a band aid just to keep his grubby little paws off it.  Things look better today but now a new cluster has shown up on his leg.  Do all babies react this way?

We had another boring lazy weekend.  I'm starting to get a fire lit under me though to get and and do more.  The fall seems to be packed with things to do and I'm already seeing a ton of apple orchard and pumpkin patch pictures on Facebook.  I may even try some home improvement projects like painting.  In my 34 years I have never painted anything!  Can you believe that?!?!