Perhaps Teresa has partaken of too much media and not enough outdoor time lately?
Papa, planning the day's activities: Okay, let's hike the stroller-friendly trail at McDowell at 10. Leaving here at 9:45. Go team!
Teresa: Alright! Let's watch some trailers!
------
I've been talking with Teresa about eating "growing food" and the difference between children and adults.
Papa: Can you make me breakfast, Teresa? Can you make me pancakes?
Teresa: No.
P: Eggs?
T: No.
P: Orange rolls?
T: No.
P: Biscuits?
T: No.
P: Toast with cinnamon?
T: No! I'm not bigger. I'm growing up! {pause} You're grown ups. You can make orange rolls yourself.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Teresa said
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Sloppy Eating Hilarity
Blame me for showing Teresa how to "eat" play food in the style of Cookie Monster. Then thank me for discovering something that really gets Cyprian laughing!
And from a different angle:
And up close (yes, I started tossing food at him):
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Comparing Cyprian and Teresa at 6 months
My mom requested I post some pictures side by side. I'm not sure how to do that in Blogger. But here are two sets to compare our children:
What do you think? Certainly a few similarities, but their coloring and head shapes are so different, in our opinion.
Friday, November 11, 2011
6 months old & 2 and a half
We took both Cyprian and Teresa in to the doctor's office for well-child visits this week. Here are their stats:
We are so pleased that Teresa is back on the charts, weight-wise (she had dropped to 1st percentile a year ago). Our nurse practitioner encouraged us to continue using bribery (small treats like 2 pieces of candy corn or a few marshmallows) to get her to eat meals.
Our little man is growing well. As you can see in the video, he sits unsupported for minutes at a time. He gets excited to eat a couple teaspoons of sweet potatoes each day. He spins around on his tummy, pushes up high on his arms, and scooches backwards. He loves to "eat" ribbons, straps, and strings. He rewards Teresa for entertaining him endlessly by pulling out her hair (ouch!). He gives David the biggest grins and excited arm flaps when Papa comes home after being away for a while.
Teresa (2 and 3/4 years old)
Weighs 25 lbs 2 oz (6th percentile)
37 in. tall (62nd percentile)
Long and lean :)
Weighs 25 lbs 2 oz (6th percentile)
37 in. tall (62nd percentile)
Long and lean :)
We are so pleased that Teresa is back on the charts, weight-wise (she had dropped to 1st percentile a year ago). Our nurse practitioner encouraged us to continue using bribery (small treats like 2 pieces of candy corn or a few marshmallows) to get her to eat meals.
Cyprian (6 months old!)
Weighs 17lbs 3 oz (45th percentile)
28 in. tall (92nd percentile)
Big boy :)
Weighs 17lbs 3 oz (45th percentile)
28 in. tall (92nd percentile)
Big boy :)
Our little man is growing well. As you can see in the video, he sits unsupported for minutes at a time. He gets excited to eat a couple teaspoons of sweet potatoes each day. He spins around on his tummy, pushes up high on his arms, and scooches backwards. He loves to "eat" ribbons, straps, and strings. He rewards Teresa for entertaining him endlessly by pulling out her hair (ouch!). He gives David the biggest grins and excited arm flaps when Papa comes home after being away for a while.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
October video roundup
Cyprian loves his Jumpster...especially when someone is watching him jump.
Supported sitting around 5 months
Peekaboo fun
Playmat fun
Exersaucer fun
Teresa surprised me with her mouse skills at 2 and 3/4 years old: I put a piece of tape on the spot where you click and she started zooming and clicking away! Here she is playing on Starfall.
I love it when David holds both the children. Teresa "fishes" quite well with her magnetic puzzle. Cyprian would like to eat the fish.
Eating a Cyprian pizza
All Saints costume (borrowed from Katherine L.)
Rearranged
Cyprian has been sleeping terribly for weeks. He wakes 5 or 6 times every night and either really needs me (nursing or diaper change) or can't settle himself back to sleep. We wondered if perhaps sharing our room was disturbing him frequently (he seems to be a light sleeper), so we decided to give him his own space.
Yesterday David spent a couple hours moving no less than 8 pieces of furniture from room to room and now we have:
1. A nursery (picture above), complete with crib, glider, dresser, and changing table. The room will still serve as storage for office/craft/school items as well. We can easily access the hall bathroom from the changing table (which is necessary with cloth diapering).
2. Teresa's room. It now has her bed (still just mattress and boxspring on the floor) and the guest bed, as well as a bookcase, toy/game cabinet, and dresser.
3. Master bedroom. It now has so much more space...enough for me to create a quiet corner with chair, table, and lamp. Perhaps this will help me sanctify my days with prayer more faithfully. The prayer corner brings me great joy...as does being able to get in and out the side of my bed!! (I've been crawling back and forth from the end of the bed since the cosleeper or crib was previously stationed at the side.)
So, how did Cyprian sleep in his new digs? Same old, same old. I was up with him 5 times between midnight and 3:30. Then he slept until about 6 am. I think his teeth (still under the gums) are hurting. Sigh.
And how are we going to accommodate our regular guest, David's dad? Tonight we're going to try having him sleep in Teresa's room (on the guest bed) and drag her mattress into our room. We'll see how it goes!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Cyprian tries rice cereal
Cyprian has been grabbing at our food with excited vocalizations and facial expressions for a couple of weeks. I was going to wait until he turned 6 months old to have him try food (beyond an occasional lick of apple, etc.), but we decided to let him go for it at 5 and a half months old.
For convenience's sake, I fed Teresa boxed cereals and jarred purees her first few months of eating. This time I'm more committed to making baby food at home. It helps tremendously that my friend loaned me her Baby Bullet. Yes, it's gimmicky (a regular blender or food processor could probably do everything it does) but it's also very helpful. Making baby food with it is straightforward and easy thanks to its guide book.
First I ground organic brown rice to a powder, cooked up a batch of cereal, and froze it in tiny portions. I put a smidge in a little jar, watered it down, and gave some to Cyprian last night.
As you can see in the video, he seemed excited and pleased by the experience. We're not sure whether he liked the cereal so much as the spoon and the jar. I don't remember Teresa guiding the spoon to her own mouth right away. Cyprian WANTED THAT SPOON! But he consistently let go of it so I could put more cereal on it.
About an hour after the eating adventure, Cyprian spit up about as much as he seemed to have taken in. We'll see how it goes tonight!
For convenience's sake, I fed Teresa boxed cereals and jarred purees her first few months of eating. This time I'm more committed to making baby food at home. It helps tremendously that my friend loaned me her Baby Bullet. Yes, it's gimmicky (a regular blender or food processor could probably do everything it does) but it's also very helpful. Making baby food with it is straightforward and easy thanks to its guide book.
First I ground organic brown rice to a powder, cooked up a batch of cereal, and froze it in tiny portions. I put a smidge in a little jar, watered it down, and gave some to Cyprian last night.
As you can see in the video, he seemed excited and pleased by the experience. We're not sure whether he liked the cereal so much as the spoon and the jar. I don't remember Teresa guiding the spoon to her own mouth right away. Cyprian WANTED THAT SPOON! But he consistently let go of it so I could put more cereal on it.
About an hour after the eating adventure, Cyprian spit up about as much as he seemed to have taken in. We'll see how it goes tonight!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Daily Feats
A $10 Starbucks gift card arrived in the mail today, and I did a happy dance.
A post on MoneySavingMom.com prompted me to join DailyFeats on August 25th. After registering you can "check in" various "feats" you accomplish each day. Some examples: caring for your baby, eating fruits and veggies, taking a walk, cooking a meal, cleaning the bathroom. I spent 20-30 minutes on the site each day for the first 3 days, figuring out how to use it efficiently. After that, I logged in for 10-15 minutes about 4 days each week (usually just before falling into bed at night) to log my accomplishments and rack up points.
On October 7th, I had enough points (5,000) to redeem for a $10 Starbucks gift card (my prize of choice - I like to treat myself to peppermint mochas once a month when I have gift cards). And today (less than 2 weeks later) it came. It really worked, I thought.
Hours of time on a website for a measly $10 gift card? you might be thinking. I really do try to be efficient with my time, so my efforts on DailyFeats had to be worth more to me than just the monetary/coffee reward. Here's why they were: logging my daily activities on DailyFeats made me feel like my efforts at home - the little stuff of my vocation as a stay-at-home mom - were being recognized and rewarded. I was earning points; I was working toward a greater goal and every bit added up! I began to want to do more...I found myself motivated by the prospect of getting to log in my accomplishments.
Yes, I will eat salad with lunch so I can check in !leafygreens.
I'll let Teresa help me make supper so I can check in !cooktogether.
I won't splurge at Target so I can check in !thinkb4buying.
I will prayerfully meditate on today's Mass readings so I can check in !dailyreading.
If I run that load of diapers I can check in !laundry.
When I participate in "challenges" on DailyFeats I am pushed to do more so I can earn extra points. And the activities are all really good for a person and/or her community: practice mindfulness, donate to charity, include someone who seems left out, express love, go on a date night.
I am not sure how long I will continue to use DailyFeats, but for now it's really working for me. I have struggled with the thanklessness of my vocation (and I have a very appreciative husband!) - I really miss the recognition I received in school and work. I know that, ultimately, I should strive to do everything for God alone and find contentment in seeking to please Him in all things. This is just a step toward that goal. :)
PS If you decide to try DailyFeats and like it (or if you're already on it!), let me know and we can be teammates.
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