Ketchup

While still trying to find both time and place for photo editing and blogging, here's a few more camera snapshots of the things going down around here. 

 

Cutest Pj's ever

Oh, how boys will be boys.  I found this "creative masterpiece" after Saul had his pre-dinner bottle.  He usually plays in the kitchen drawers while I cook.  

For his birthday, Nana and Pop-Pop (My mom & Step-Dad) bought him this tent.  This tent has absolutely saved my sanity the past week.  I put down lots of blankets, pillows, books, and blocks.  He LOVES it.  Often, I can find him playing here and doing his best to wreck any/everything that is nicely set up. 

 Saturday night, Todd went out and got Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.  We  opened the box and told Saul to pick one out.  He picked up a whole original glazed (that's my boy!!) and took a HUGE bite right out of it!! 

Oh, you know. Just relaxing, watching some Sesame Street ... sitting on a German Shepherd's neck.  Whatev.  Theses two LOVE each other. It seriously melts my heart into a big blob of goop.

A really dark picture of Saul playing with blocks. 

 

Bathtime. Always a hit.  He's also decided he likes bubbles, which is new.  He never liked them too much before. 

That's all for now.   I know, disappointing ... but it's okay because there's lot of pictures of little man. 

Ch-Ch-Changes

So life has suddenly picked up the pace on me.  While we've been adjusting to full schedules, blogging has been slack.

Since the (re)appearance of the TV, that's meant that I have no computer desk/home office area. . Boo.  That means that I have had no where to edit photos.  That also means that I'm having to blog on my netbook, which is really NO good for blogging.

However, I have acquired a iPhone-wannabe phone, and downloaded an app for totally trendy photos (seen above).

What we've been up to - eating, learning to climb, washing hands, generally just being hyperactive (if you're Saul), bible study, doctor's appointments, and I've been busier with my work than EVER.

Speaking of schedules, Saturday, we'll be meeting up with Kimberly Card for a little professional photo loving.  Hopefully we'll get some great shots of Saul. I was talking to Todd last night about how one of my major regrets is not getting newborn shots of Saul. Oh well.  When #2 comes along, that'll be first on my list.

Well, there you go.  A little update to keep you going.

Oh, and PS. my garden is poo-poo.  I'm over it!! Let's just fast-forward to next spring so I can try again, okay?

That time Saul ate a Tabasco Pepper

That actually happened.  Yesterday.

Todd and I were outside harvesting what's left of the garden.  I'm talking Todd's head off while picking cucumbers when I hear coughing.

I look down.

Saul is spitting and there's a tiny red pepper coming out of his mouth.

TALK ABOUT HORROR!!!

I literally THROW the cucumbers, yank him up, do the mommy-finger-swoosh to get the thing out.

He gags a little bit, but nothing got swallowed (THANK YOU, JESUS!!).

We run inside and the only things we can think of to give him is milk.  Milk will help, RIGHT?!

I'm shaking so hard and crying a little bit.  Mom-guilt, you guys.  I'm like, "Ohmigosh, Todd! I wasn't looking!! He was right in front of me and I WASN'T LOOKING!!"

Todd, who loves peppers almost as much as he loves me (almost), is half-laughing at me, saying it's okay. Things happen. He didn't choke. He's alive.  It'll hurt for a minute, then it'll go away.

You know what?  Todd was right.

Do you know that that child hardly cried at all?!? He didn't puke.  He didn't cry really hard.  He just kinda kept moving his mouth weird and around his mouth got red.  He was just really excited (and by really, i mean kind of) by getting to drink a ba-ba an hour before dinner. He seemed more upset that Mommy was shaking and crying.

It obviously hurt, because ... homegrown Tabascos are really, really hot. But I'm so proud of him.  Within 15 minutes, he was running around yelling and laughing again.

I even called Poison Control just in case (aka I'm a crazy first-time mother) and they laughed at/with me. I think he was more laughing AT me. He said it's no big deal.  He might have the scoots. He'll be okay.  Put Maalox on his mouth if it stays red (but don't give it orally. Babies can't take it), but generally, peppers are food.  They aren't poisonous.  Umm... Duh.

Whew.

I just still feel SO bad.  

I think this classifies as a Grade-A Parenting Fail. 

No Scooby Doo for You.

For the past six months, we haven't had TV.

Yes.  That's right.  We didn't even have one up.  It was packed away for the past six months.

I have a love/hate relationship with TV.  Not to sound snooty, but I've always thought of watching TV as being a very .... American pastime.  Once I moved out of my Dad's house, I didn't even own a TV.  I think at one point I might have, but watched TBS only back when TV antennas worked.

Anyway, when I started dating Todd, he wasn't a fan of TV either, but he had a nice, new plasma TV (are they even called plasma TVs anymore?? HD???) that hung on the wall for the sole purpose of football season.

And then ... we fell in love ... with the TV. Ha. We discovered all the learning and documentary channels.  We never got on any of the big series like Lost or American Idol or any of those cult-following-type shows. (Not to say there's anything wrong with those shows) But every night, we were SO excited when  there was a new episode of "I Survived" or "I was Bitten" or "I'm Alive" (... are you sensing a trend?)

And of course, there was football.  After being a super cheerleader for the better part of seven years, do you know that I had NO IDEA what in the world was going on out there?  Todd fixed that fairly quickly.

Then Saul came along and I indulged a little more when he would nap since I wasn't working.

Once the TV was gone, I'm not gonna lie, it was boring.  But I got used to it.  I found Mommy blogs.   I've been very proud to say that Saul has only seen TVs at other people's homes.  Even when we did have one, we never let him watch it.

But ... when the DirecTV guy came and set us up, Todd sat down with Saul in the floor while he drank his morning milk ... and they watched Scooby Doo.

You guys, it was precious. 

 So now Saul is down for a nap and I have a monumental amount of laundry to fold (my housekeeping arch-enemy) and I'm practically giddy! What will I watch?!? Everyday Italian with Giada?? Bevery Hills 90210 (because even with 90's hair, Brandon Walsh is soooo cute)??? A documentary on inner-city school's art programs!?

THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!! Haha.

Gross Garden

Well folks, it appears that summer is about over in my neck of the woods. Here's my sad little tomatoes and cucumbers. That is, what's left of them...

Lesson in Baby Boys

 

Don't let his cute face fool you.  This kid is a mess. 

Rule No. 1 for being mother to a boy:

(you know, 'cause I'm such an expert ... ?) 

BOYS ARE MESSY.  ROLL WITH IT. BRING WIPES.

Let's just talk a little bit about the messes he's gotten me into this week 

1.  It's bathtime.  I pull his clothes off and let him be nekid for a few minutes.  Who doesn't like a nekid baby? I'll tell you who - the floor.  The kiddo pees in the floor.  Yes. 

2. Saul, will you please go back in time to where you DIDN'T know how to unscrew caps? That little milestone left me with an entire bottle of baby shampoo in the middle of the kitchen floor. 

3.  Um, did you see my last post? He was COVERED in mud/sand/dirt and had to go on my shoulders again.  Sand in the hair ... and the carseat ... and all over the rest of the car ... and my house. 

4.  He's decided the he will only eat if he can feed himself, thankyouverymuch.  The pup appreciates this.  This mess I only have to clean up a little bit. 

5.  This one may not be a physical mess, but it made me a mental mess - Munja man threw the mother of all fits while I was in at an appointment. 30 minutes of inconsolable crying.  Mmm. Love those. 

I think that's all so far this week that leaves a lasting impact.  My brain is fried.  Even though I'm griping, I'm really not.  He looks so cute all dirty/sweaty/snot-face/tear-stained. 

The joys of little boys! 

What are some of your favorite/most memorable messes?

That Time I Waded in the River ...

... with a 20 pound toddler on my shoulders, with my camera in my bra, and freezing cold water up to the top of my stomach.

We live within walking distance to a beautiful state park with river access.  Usually a few times a week, Todd takes the dog to the river to swim.  Saul and I come sometimes and feed the ducks.  Too cute, right?

Except this day, the river was REALLY low and I forgot the bread for the ducks.  Dang.  Guess that means Saul is going to play in rocks and mud ... awesome ...

Todd took this opportunity to make a family memory... or something.

Oh, yes.  Before I know it, he's chest-deep in the water and going out to a huge sandbar.  He asked me to come along.  I dipped a pinky toe into the water and said, um, yeah.  No, thank you.

After being really bored and whining about being bored for about 10 minutes and Saul whining and pointing to go over to Dada and Puppy, I said WHAT THE HECK!! And joined him.

We had such a fun time! We walked around the sandbar. Saul drew in the sand with sticks. Got super messy. Ran. Fell down. Laughed. Had a ball!

I think it's days like these I'll look back on in 20 years and wish I could relive just for 5 minutes. I'm doing all I can to live in the moment with this special little boy, this handsome young man, and precious dog. My little family of 4.