To Michigan for Mother's Day and Tulip Time

We went to visit Bama and Dabo in Holland, Michigan for Mother's Day weekend, to catch a few Tulip Time activities, and to celebrate Brittany's bridal shower. Claire did very well on the drive, mostly because of her television in the car (she doesn't watch TV anywhere else), but also because we made a few stops at playgrounds along the way (we tagged at least one playground in Indiana for a definite return visit).  James had a difficult time in the car much of the way, but he was able to sleep and play too. Good thing there are two screens to the DVD player because it seems that James is getting interested in watching it.

We arrived on Thursday and spent the evenening with GG, Grandpa Huyser, Jeremy, and his daughter Madelynn.  Friday morning we took family pictures in dutch costumes at the park, that afternoon we visited the Dutch Market, and that evening ate fairway food downtown and watched Dutch Dancing with Jodi, Elliot, and their daughter Sadie.  On Saturday Amanda and Claire went to Brittany's bridal shower while Matt and James spent time with Grandpa Huyser. We all then went to the big saturday Tulip Time parade and afterwards had supper with GG. On Sunday we went to GG's church, went to coffee afterwards, took some naps, then ate supper for a Mother's Day celebration with the Weller family. We left Sunday night and made it to MM and Pop's house in Cleveland, Tennesse in time for breakfast (and another nap!)

James and Grandpa Huyser. James liked being played with by so many new faces!

Maddie is just a little older than Claire; this is already the third time they've met. It was really fun to watch them giggle and play.

I wonder if they remember one another; they're a cute combination.

Grandpa Huyser plays with Claire in her PJs.

Even though Claire was read for bed on time, she got to stay up late playing with Grandpa and GG.

Dabo and Claire watch an accordion player at the Dutch Market. It was interesting to hear Dabo try to explain what an accordion is.

Claire and Sadie enjoyed watching the Dutch Dancing... but they probably enjoyed playing in the street more.

Claire became very skilled at pointing out everyone she saw who was wearing "klompen slippers" (since she's been so accustomed to the word "klompen slippers" it didn't seem necessary to call them "wooden shoes" because the former is still correct). Also, I think it's unfortunate that the dancer in this photo is no longer wearing wooden shoes; the group we were watching broke 3 pairs in one show.

Even after the dancing was over, Claire and Sadie enjoyed playing in the street. Claire is just a little older than Sadie but at this age the gap isn't so noticeable and they're both highly skilled. 

Claire and Sadie continued playing in the park. At this age, playing "together" means that they're doing the same thing but somewhat independently and only within a 50 foot radius of one another.

Sadie plays with a stick in the dirt. This appears to be a popular game because Claire was doing the exact same thing just behind her.

GG got along very well with James. I had a lot of cute pictures of these two but since I'm still getting used to my new camera lens the photos are all blurry. Bummer.  Now that I think about it, James looks blurry anyway on account of his fuzzy hair.

 Bama fed Claire her first corn on the cob. Claire already liked corn, but she apparently LOVES it on the cob. It didn't take her long to learn how and she loved it so much that she gnawed the cob like a dog with a bone until we gave her a new supply.

Bama loves cuddling and tickling James. He giggles pretty well and it gets her into stitches.

Uncle Mike and Aunt Kim came all the way from Howell (2+ hrs) with their children Brevin, Alex, and Ian for Mother's Day. It was a real treat to see them and play with the kids.

Aunt Goober #1 and Little Goober #2 (for those who don't know, James the little Goober)

Claire tried and tried to dribble the basketball. She loved playing the big open space. There were a lot of kids running around (Brevin, Alex, Ian, Jared, Sadie, and Claire) which was fun to watch.

Aunt Goober just loves babies; James gave her a pretty good time....

...and they get along so well that he even convinced her to hold him through an entire nap.

Sadie plays with her dolly a lot like Claire does; she wouldn't go down the slide but she was happy to help give the dolly a ride. There were a lot of great toys at the nursery which was open while we met at GG's church for supper. It was incredibly convenient.

Claire and Bama give each other adorable goodbyes.

On our way home. As Claire approaches the car, we hear 1000 times: "May I watch my TV? I go on a long trip!"

James and the Straw

I don't know why, but James found the sound of the straw to be quite funny.  I just love his little giggle!

Touch-A-Truck

I took both Claire and James to the Alpharetta Touch-a-Truck event on April 28 (an assortment of large and interesting vehicles on display for children and families to explore).  I had signed up to help show off the EPA Mobile Command Post (known to Claire as the "big E-P-A Tuk!") but hadn't thought about the baby shower that Mommy had volunteered weeks earlier to help with.  So, rather than cancel, I tried to do both.

Thank goodness for helpful coworkers because this ended up being a terrible idea and we didn't spend too much time at the E-P-A Tuk anyway.

Claire likes to walk around now but I was nervous about having her and James by himself in a crowd; so we finally got the backpack/leash to keep her close. She actually likes it and wears it around the house once in a while.

The EPA MCP was on display and drew quite a crowd despite being relegated to to the back corner. We ran out of stickers before it was half over and a few people probably came back just for the air conditioning.

Probably not the place you want to photograph your child, but it was cute how she just ran towards it and climbed right in. Actually, this was the only vehicle that she climbed into and was terrified the rest of the time.

After getting a "no" about asking her to touch or climb into any other vehicle, I finally got her to take two steps into a bus (I think this was the fully electric one, it was pretty neat) long enough to take a picture. Unfortunately, she turned around and cried half a second after this photo was snapped.

Bubbles! When truck horns are making James jump and the Chick-fil-A Cow is about to give Claire nightmares, nothing calms them down like hundreds of bubbles in front of a rolling Waffle House.

Forget the trucks. Claire had the most fun of the day on the swing with Hannah. We ran into the Reams' and the Roddas at the event, which is pretty impressive considering the crowd.

These two are pretty cute together. They were squealing with delight back and forth.

Claire loves picnics. James likes being outside. This is a winning combination!

James is getting pretty mobile and can scoot to the edge of the blanket faster than I can turn my head from checking the cooler. Before I know it, he's got a handful of grass that he's pulling on and his mouth is wide open ready to receive the treat.  I intercepted it just in time and he was neither disappointed nor discouraged from trying again.

All in all it was a pretty fun day. Claire wouldn't go anywhere near the vehicles despite continually asking for the fire trucks. However, she felt extremely comfortable in the EPA MCP and actually sat in the driver's seat next to one of my coworkers for a little bit. James was on his best behavior and sat either in the stroller, the baby bjorn, or the backpack. He took two naps and ate all of his bottle, and never really fussed about anything.  Maybe I wasn't much help as a volunteer but I'd have to say that the day's outing was pretty successful.

James 6 Months, Claire 25 Months

James has really had a great month.  He has gone from waking up 3-5 times every night to only waking up once or twice and even slept through the night twice.  He loves playing on the floor with toys.  He's scooting and rolling and rocking on his hands and knees.  He has a big smile and shows it often.  He has a sweet little giggle and is ticklish.  In fact, we can say "tickle tickle tickle" and start our fingers wiggling a few feet away and he will be laughing before we even touch him.  It's very cute.

James likes any toy that he can put into his mouth.  Favorites include his zebra and mini-book with crinkly cloth pages.  He also likes a little snail that plays music when touched.  He still enjoys jumping in his jump-a-roo, and he can sit up by himself for a minute or two at a time before he gets distracted and falls over.  His first tooth hasn't broken through yet, but we've been able to feel it for several weeks now, so it must be close.  He is eating solid food twice a day, either rice cereal, mashed banana or pureed sweet potato.  He's had a little bit of water out of a sippy cup and does surprisingly well considering the fight he used to put up with a bottle.  Speaking of bottle, he takes it now with no problem.  We switched to a faster flow bottle nipple and that seemed to do the trick.

He had his first fever this month, but it ended up being just a little spike from a virus, so he didn't need any prescription medicine.  James takes three or four little naps during the day and is usually in bed from 7:30 pm until 7:00 am with one or two feedings during the night.  His hair is a cute fuzzy blonde poof; it's been compared to both a baby chick and a dandelion.  People can't seem to resist touching it!  He is in size three diapers and wears both six month and nine month clothes.  At his six month checkup he weighed 17 pounds, 14 ounces (just under the 50th percentile) and measured 26 3/4 inches long (just over the 50th percentile). 

Claire has gotten very good at entertaining herself with her toys but still loves to have someone's undivided attention.  On many occasions, she will come to one of us and politely ask if we will please come play with her; it is a request that is impossible to resist! Favorite toys include her kitchen, dishes, dolls, stuffed animals, puzzles, magnet dress-up dolls, blocks, and books.  She has learned how to play the game "Memory" with a few tiles at a time.  She caught on quickly to the rules and the concept of taking turns.  She loves to be outside.  She doesn't play with her castle or the playground equipment at the park much but instead just likes to walk around and find little treasures--especially flowers and rocks.

As sweet as Claire is most of the time, she often tests the rules and limitations.  For example, I told her not to throw blocks and she asked "Throw a ball?" and another time, I told her not to kick while on the changing table and she asked "Kick in the swing?"  When I tell her it's time for her nap or bed, she asks to "Play a few minutes."  She throws little mini-tantrums several times a day when things don't go her way. 

Claire likes to try to get dressed and undressed by herself sometimes.  She really doesn't like help putting her sandals on and wants to do it "by myself."  She is becoming opinionated about what clothes, hair bow, and shoes she is wearing.

Claire is still a very good eater.  For the most part, she eats what we are eating with usually an additional vegetable on her plate to substitute for the salads we are eating.  Her favorite foods are muffins, any kids of fruit, cheerios, crackers, PB&J sandwiches, corn, peas, and carrots.  She has happily transitioned from her highchair to a booster seat and politely asks "May I be excused?" before she climbs down each time.  Last Friday, we had a picnic supper at a nearby park and decided to stop for ice cream.  Claire had her first soft serve cone and of course loved it.  It was so funny watching her learn how to lick the ice cream.  It was a huge mess but totally worth it to see her smile big and say "I like ice cream!"

Claire is currently wearing size 2T clothes but some of the dresses are getting too short.  She is in size 5 diapers.  At some point, another molar grew in, but I have no idea when.  I just noticed noticed it when I was ticking her upside down one day.  She does ok with letting us brush her teeth but refuses to spit in the sink afterwards.  The current compromise is that she spits in the bathtub instead.

Both James and Claire do great being left in childcare.  That is such a blessing.  Most of our regular activities are coming to a close in the next few weeks, so hopefully we'll enjoy a more relaxed, less structured summer before Claire starts preschool (Tuesdays and Thursdays) in the fall! 

Having Two

Scene 1:

Mommy and Daddy are setting up supper on the porch but the children are in their seats a little too early before supper is brought out. Claire is sitting in her booster seat sipping on water and talking to herself. James is strapped into the high chair waving a toy around and groaning. Mommy and Daddy are back and forth between the kitchen and the porch. Glasses of water and James' bowl of mashed sweet potatoes are on the table.


Scene 2:

Daddy walks out to find Claire holding the spoon of sweet potatoes in one hand and a mess of it in the other. She is told that the potatoes are for James and she should not play with it. The bowl is placed on the other end of the small table and Claire is told to raise her hands above her head to keep the mess away from everything (and she does it!) while Daddy gets a paper towel then wipes her off. Daddy then goes back to the kitchen.


Scene 3:

Mommy walks out and discovers James smacking on sweet potato with a mess of it from his nose to his collar. The bowl and spoon remain still at the edge of the small table and Claire is sitting in her booster seat sipping on water.

Mommy (to Daddy): Did you give James sweet potato?

Daddy (to Mommy): Nope

Mommy: Who gave James sweet potato?

Daddy: I have no idea

Claire: I give James sweet potato!

*(Mommy's eyes open wide with surprise, she begins to snicker, and she blushes with embarrassment)

Claire: He cried.

Growing Little Boy

Here are some videos of our growing little boy.

See how excited he gets for a kiss from his big sister!

He's scooting and rolling more and more every day.

This is James' first time eating banana.

 

Spring Pictures

We bought Claire a booster seat and moved James into the highchair.  Here is James trying out the sippy cup.

Here are the kids enjoying some sunshine on the back porch after church last Sunday

 

Looking so little and yet so grown up at the same time

Enjoying Springtime

Saturday morning visit to a playground at a local airport.  The playground is airplane-themed and has a viewing area to watch the planes land and takeoff.  

 

James enjoying a stroller ride at the zoo.

 We met up with Claire's friend Hannah and her parents at a local festival in Dunwoody.

Claire and Daddy riding the carousel with Hannah and her daddy, Daniel

One afternoon, I found Claire "reading" her Bible to James.  So sweet!

James is such a big boy.  He was able to take his first wagon ride and had a blast!   He has such a big, happy smile these days.

Claire Doesn't Like Doctors

Two weeks before Claire’s 24-month visit to the Pediatrician, Amanda brought out our own bathroom scale so that Claire could practice standing on it before bedtime.  At first Claire was hesitant, but after watching Mommy and Daddy stand on the scale without encountering any harm she was willing to mount the perilous platform.  We may have mentioned “it doesn’t hurt” at least twice because it eventually became the subtitle to this new nightly routine; “I step on tha scale! …it doesn’t huewt!”  She became excited about every chance to step up and even began to “hop” down (which is equal to a Claire “jump” in-that the motion is correct but she never actually leaves the ground).

Despite the two weeks of absolute glee over practicing with the scale, and the lessons about using one at the doctor’s office, it was all for naught.  We might as well have told her that the scale was a treacherous toddler monster and to run for her life if she ever saw one. At least that would have made her behavior more consistent.

The need for practicing this simple act of standing on a scale became apparent when Claire threw a wild temper tantrum during her 18-month checkup.  Amanda said that the entire visit was horrible but the scale, being the first task beyond the waiting room, may have set a mood from which she could not recover.  Looking back, the 12-month checkup experience wasn’t much better and although she could stand up we took one last turn on the baby bed scale that day out of convenience.

At this point I now understand that it was the nurse who set it off. It wasn’t this one particular nurse (although the intense “Hello Claire!” may have surprised the little one) or even a fear of all nurses (since Claire has been pleasant when visiting the OB during Mommy’s pregnancy). It was the fact that the nurse was there looking specifically for Claire. Despite being informed over and over that she’s going to visit the doctor, Claire had not computed what events were about to unfold until the moment the nurse announced her name. In a fraction of a second, the record of bad memories (hospital visits, x-rays, needle pricks, etc.) overwhelmed Claire and she broke down in a fit.  (Or she has no memories of these past events and just broke down because she's two) Since the first scene was indeed the scale, that would end up being the most passionate performance. Claire’s legs went to jelly and she refused to stand, her wails startled the staff that had not had their coffee, and at one point she crawled away on all fours towards the exit.

In the exam room, Claire could be calmed in Daddy’s lap with a book (and a snack) so long as no one who was not Mommy or James or Daddy was in the room. Once the door opened, no one was certain whether Claire would respond with a whimper or full-on cry, but that could be alleviated so long as the intruder did not make direct eye contact with her.  Despite Claire’s weakening protests, Dr. Alli was uncommonly gentle and sweet which reaffirmed how much we enjoy seeing her. The final verdict was that we had ourselves a healthy little toddler.  Claire never opened her mouth for Dr. Alli, but we did get some approximate statistics of 30 pounds, 3 ounces and 35.5 inches long (both around the 95th percentile). 

As a bonus on the visit, Claire got a special Disney band-aid to wrap on her finger after promptly rejecting the plain bandaid. Unfortunately, since the color of the band-aid had nothing to do with her disapproval, it too was torn off before we made it through the exit, so Mommy got some practice with itty-bitty blood stains.

A double extra bonus is that Daddy got to hear the story of how Mommy tried to spit on the doctor  when she was a toddler.