Time in a Bottle

I found the tooth chart I printed out when Natey got his first 2 teeth (bottom 2 and yes at the same time). They first poked through the day after Christmas last year, which I thought was pretty cute and ironic. I walked around for a week singing the song in my head. I was so gung-ho about capturing all of his firsts and fun moments and I did great...for a while. Then I kind of fizzled. I realize that I have been really caught up in my own bloggy world lately. What can I say, it is a whole new world to me that is fun and fabulous being able to connect with other moms. But, I started this blog to update on Natey, to have a record without having to commit to so much scrapbooking...and of course have nicely captured moments to embarrass him with later. What kind of mom would I be if that wasn't a side goal??? In the spirit of capturing more about my little man and what he's doing at the phases in his life here's the latest and greatest at 16 months...

• He's got 7 teeth and 4 more pushing their way out. He is so funny with teething. He had 7 teeth by 9 months and then didn't get any more until this last month when the final bottom front and 3 molars decided to come in all at once!


• He says a little more than 50 words. Some of my favorites are: "morning", "deyougo" (there you go) when he hands you something, "meeeerrr, kitty" (come here) which he screams at Trina..no wonder she always runs away from him and "hossie" (horse) which he always follows up with a lough "neigh!!!!"


• He knows that the step in between the kitchen and the breezeway is too big for him to step down so he has learned to "sit and scoot" whenever he needs to get from one room to another. The funny thing is, he sits down really far from the edge and has to scoot quite a ways to get down.


• He knows so many people's names! A lot of Aaron's friend's come over and hang out and he knows "Geg" (Greg), "Corn" (Courtenay), his uncles Danny, "BBBBBBB" (Barak) and "eYo" (tio-uncle in Spanish, which is what he calls Ollie). Oh, and he is still calling Aaron "Dadoo" which is pretty much my favorite thing ever. I hope he keeps that for a while longer at least.


• He is big on giving hugs and kisses. When you ask for a hug he leans in and puts his head on you. Apparently he thinks you just hug him, he has nothing to do with it! He will give nice little puckered kisses to his toys but if he gives you a kiss, you get the full open mouth...sorry, just a warning, unless you want slobber all over your mouth, turn the cheek! He has been known to grab your face and turn you the right way though, so good luck!


• I am trying to teach him colors but, as of now, everything is "bu-lue" (blue).


• Oh, and every letter is B.


• He is in to everything. He loves opening drawers and trying on our shoes, sticking his hand in the toilet and eating cat food, turning off the computer (the blue button is like a tractor beam, I must admit) and turning on the washing machine (darn front loading washer!!).


• He's starting to learn how to use a fork and smiles and yells "did it!" when he manages to get a bite onto the fork and into his mouth.


• He's been walking running since ~10 months but he is really good at it now and falls down less and less.


• He knows Kung-Fu and how to break dance, but they pretty much look the same. He gets down on the floor and does what looks like a sweeping kick; rolling over and over until he hits an obstacle like the couch. Then he turns the other way and is off again. He also swings his arms around and says "Ya!" (hiya, I assume). Thanks Dadoo and Jet Li for teaching him these things.


• He's a total blankie boy (just like his mama) and loves to cuddle up with it. He is getting particular though because there are 2 that we have that he doesn't like. Darn, I was trying to rotate them out frequently so he wouldn't get so attached to one, but he is.


• He puts ANYTHING and EVERYTHING in his mouth still. He eats sticks, rocks, paper, old cheerios that he finds under the radiator, basically anything he finds. He does have a tell though. He'll put something in his mouth and then look at you (since he knows he's not supposed to) with this sneaky look. At least he opens his mouth on command and we can remove anything that isn't supposed to be in there!

I am sure I have missed things, but it doesn't matter. These posts are mostly for me, so I can look back and remember all of the amazing firsts and bests that my boy was doing at the time. Even though I am pretty sure I will remember most of it as he grows up, I know I'll get a good laugh out of looking back and reading these. I love you my little boy and please don't grow up too fast.

I Stand Corrected....

I am not the lucky charm...

Not Me! Monday

Another week has gone by and it is time, yet again, for NotMe! Monday. Wow, this week was over in a blink! It seems strange to me that I am beginning to measure the passing of days by the blogs I write. The sweet, warm days of summer are gone and we have jumped head first into fall. Time speeds up at the end of summer but I promise you that winter will bring a slowing of the clock to almost a snail's pace. I am looking forward to Nathan experiencing his first time to play in the snow, but the thought of spring being so far away saddens me just a bit. Sorry, I digress. What was I talking about again? Oh yes, what I "didn't" do last week... If you want to join in the fun, visit MckMama's blog and cleanse your soul... you'll thank me later!

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This is not a gratuitous photo that has nothing to do with this post. Nope! I didn't stick it in here just because it was a beautiful fall shot that I took and wanted to share with the group. I am very focused and never get off track...What?? I'm not? I do?? Oh well.

My husband thinks I am his lucky charm when it comes to the Red Sox winning games. Being the caring wife that I am, I would never make plans to go hang out with my friend on the evening of an elimination game and upset my hubby like that! It would be thoughtless. I would also never say a quick adios to my friend and drive 80 mph all the way home, listening to the game on the radio, when our team started to catch up, hoping I hadn't ruined our luck by not being home. If I did happen to think I have some magical powers where the Red Sox are concerned, I would not bore everyone and write an entire blog entry about it! (Oh, BTW they came back from a 7-0 deficit to win 8-7!!!)UPDATED...they lost last night. No World Series :o(

I didn't feel like an old fuddy duddy Saturday night when we went to a ultra hip downtown bar for our friend's birthday. I'm not even 30 yet for goodness sake. I'm young and hip and would never just want to go home and crawl into bed at a reasonable hour. Also, I absolutely LOVE techno music and wish I could have it as my internal soundtrack at all times!

I did not let my husband watch one of his Kung-Fu movies in the family room while my 16 month old played with his toys. If he did happen to see some of the fight scenes, my little baby boy could not possibly pretend he was doing Kung-Fu and wave his arms all around and roll around on the floor kicking his legs.

I also did not write my Not Me! "Monday" post on Sunday again because I didn't want to be late for work for the 3rd time in 4 weeks trying to get my post done first thing in the morning....and because I secretly LOVED being the first one to post last week. That is just silly and immature, and as we've already established, I am a responsible grown-up who doesn't get excited over such things.

What did you"NOT" do this week??

Flashback Friday....I BELIEVE!!!

I was reminded last night of this same time 4 years ago...baseball playoffs. Aaron and I were living in Las Vegas and the Red Sox were playing in the ALCS. That's the American league Championship Series to those of you who have just tuned out at the site of acronyms! They were playing the Yankees and Aaron was down in the dumps because they had lost the 1st 3 games and were one away from going home, again. I wasn't a Red Sox fan, but I knew of the 86 year World Series drought.

Aaron had had to work for the 1st 3 games, but we watched the 4th and 5th games together, and the Sox won. He actually called out of work for the 6th game and I was supposed to go to happy hour with my friends that night and he freaked out. Why would he care if I went to TGIFriday's you might ask? Apparently I had become his lucky charm, and the Sox couldn't win if I didn't watch the game with him. Aww, how sweet, how could I resist flaking on my friends after that? So I stayed home with him and watched...and they won...again!! Needless to say I didn't even attempt to buck the system when it came to game 7 and they made it to the World Series! It is amazing to come back from a 3 games to 0 deficit and win the series.

Of course I watched the World Series with him and they won....on my 26th birthday! Aaron was so excited and was convinced that I had been responsible for breaking "The Curse". Needless to say I became a Red Sox fan after that. I mean, how could I not, they won because of me! wink, wink

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Fast forward to the present time. The Red Sox are again having some trouble in the ALCS and were down 3-1. If they lost last night, their season would be over. I had spaced the fact that the game was on last night and had made plans to go to my friend Joelle's house to hang out. Apparently when I told Aaron of my plans the day before, he didn't remember either. Oh, but when I was getting ready to go he started freaking out again.

"You know you're messing everything up, don't you?"

"What are you talking about, honey?"

"It is going to be your fault if they loose tonight!"

(Oh the game...darn, I had totally forgot) "I already made plans with Joelle, and I'm not going to flake on her, I'm about to go out the door! I'll watch it over there, OK?"

"Don't bother, you'll just jinx them."

"You're being ridiculous. Besides, if they loose it won't be my fault, it will be because of your bad attitude." (And then I left)

I got there and we were hanging out for a while when Joelle's hubby got home from work. I relayed the story of what had transpired before I left and Ryan promptly told me that the Red Sox were already down by 2. Oops, but hey, I was already there and wasn't leaving. About 45 minutes later I get a text from Aaron...

"Are you watching the game????"

"No, you forbid me to, remember."

"Please...we're getting killed."

The score was now 5-0. Double oops. We headed inside and by the time I got to the TV room the score was 7-0. I'm so going to be in the dog house when I get home. I start watching in the 7th inning, and am probably the only person who thinks we can still win this game. We get 1 run and then there are 2 men on base when Ortiz hits a 3 run home run! Ok, now the score is 7-4. Ohhh, ohhh, don't call it a come back!! It is at this point that I say quick goodbyes to Joelle and Ryan, hop in my car and tune to the station playing the game. I got home in the time it took them to play the top of the 8th. (I did not drive 80 the whole way, nope, not me!) Aaron was so happy I had come home and we watched the rest of the game together. 3 more runs in the 8th and then the walk-off, game winning run in the 9th!!!!!!!!!!!

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The Sox have won the WS 2 times since I met Aaron. If they can win the next 2 games in Tampa they will be in the WS again. And if they go 5 games, they can win again...on my birthday. Maybe I am the Red Sox lucky charm. Hey I should tell them this...I could make some money from it!

Baby Natey (4 months old in this pic) doesn't look convinced! Well, here's hoping anyway! GO SOX!

Nowhere Near Wordless Wednesday

I know that Wednesdays are usually wordless for me,

but it took me too long to get this post put together not to put it up! So if you came for WW just look at the first photo and ignore the rest!

Thank God for beautiful fall days! Living in California for most of my life, I really missed out on simple things like seasons! I was used to hot and not-so-hot as the two seasons, who knew there were actually four?! We have lived out here for 3 years now (Aaron grew up here, moved away to find me and then moved back) and each year I fall more and more in love with Fall! I'm pretty sure that if the summers weren't so beautifully green and the falls weren't so many other glorious colors, I would never be able to make it through the cold and stark months that are winter in New England. I know, to all of you who have grown up here or in other cold places, I'm such a whiner, but did I mention I'm from sunny Southern California...oh yeah and lived in Nevada for 3 years after that??!!

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We took Nathan to Roger Williams park over the holiday weekend and he had so much fun running around, eating dirt and playing in the leaves. I swear this kid never wants to walk anywhere. He always needs to run. This, of course, leads to a lot of falling down. He takes it all in stride though and barely even fusses after he eats it!

He fell right on his face and didn't even make a peep!

Poor kid, hopefully he'll learn to slow down just a little!Happy Natey found a leaf. It lasted only long enough to take

this picture...and then he tried to eat it.

This is the face you get when you tell him to say "cheese" for a picture! I was laughing behind the tree at the intensity with which he yelled it!

Is it impossible to make a toddler smile on cue?? At least he was cute and holding my face. :o)
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We also went to the Columbus day parade on Federal Hill with Aaron's Aunt, Uncle and 2 youngest cousins. I wasn't sure how it was going to go since Nathan can't sit still for 5 seconds, let alone long enough for a whole parade to happen. It went pretty well despite my doubts. Of course the reason I got about 20 minutes of focus out of the boy was that Aaron's uncle let him have a lollipop! Most of you who know me know that I don't let my 16 month old baby have things like candy and excessive sweets, but he sure did sit and focus for a while so I guess this once it was worth it!

WTF?? What does this thing have to do with Columbus??
Natey got all excited when the fire trucks came by and blew their horns!

All in all, this was the most packed weekend we have had in a long time! Pumpkin patch, apple picking, parade, fall fun in the park, family & friends over for dinner on Monday (12 of us total). Whew, I am tired just thinking about it.

Not Me! Monday

Oh happy day! Not me! Monday again? Already? Why, yes it is! It is beginning to be my favorite post of the week, and probably the first time in a while that I have actually looked forward to Mondays! After you read what I "didn't" do this week, pop on over to MckMama's blog and read the hilarious stuff that other people didn't do as well!
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I absolutely did not wear workout clothes to work so it would force me to go to the gym and forget to bring actual pants to wear to work for after I was done. Who would ever do that and then have to wear yoga pants all day at work?? Not me! I am way to put together for that to happen to me! (For the story in all of it's embarrassing glory click here)

I didn't miss being the 1 millionth hit on MckMama's blog by just 75 people! If this did happen I wouldn't even be remotely disappointed, that would make me a weird stalker or something. I also did not have my hubby take a picture of me and the computer, because that would make him think I'm crazy, and he doesn't need any more help with that!

I didn't dress my child in a monkey costume for a photo shoot in a pumpkin patch on Saturday. It was 70 degrees out and I would never put Natey in something that was meant to be worn in the dead of winter just to get some super cute photos. Nope, I'm not that selfish, that would make me a bad parent. (But, he looked so cute!!)

I did not rush out the door Sat night to take Nathan to Waterfire only to drive around for 40 minutes trying to find a place to park with absolutely no luck. I also did not ignore the gas light that came on as soon as I left the house, thinking it was only a 5 minute drive to downtown. If that did happen, which it wouldn't, I would not just give up and drive home, only stopping to get gas (and a hot fudge sundae to make me feel better).

What did you "not" do this week??

Apples, Pumpkins and Monkeys?

It's fall in New England and, to me, that means picking apples from the orchard and torturing my child by sticking him in a costume and taking pictures in the pumpkin patch! My friend Joelle and I planned a dual family outing to Jaswell's farm in Smithfield. It was basically an excuse for a photo opp as well as a chance to get some fresh apples for goodies like pie and homemade apple sauce. I, for one, am looking very forward to the pie part!

We let the boys play for a while in the pumpkin patch before we stuck them in their costumes. Tyler isn't walking just yet, but they were having a good time checking each other and the pumpkins out. Nathan ran around like a mad man (as usual), but we managed to get some photos of the boys together before Nathan took off to explore!

I bought Nathan a Monkey costume this year and Aaron's aunt bought the same costume for her daughter last year, but she never got to wear it. I saw this as a super cute opportunity to get the boys in (almost) matching monkey suits!! I did mention torture, right? Well, it was a beautiful 70 degrees out today and, of course the costumes are meant for the arctic, so we tried to get the shots we wanted as quickly as possible.

Like I said, we tried to make the costume part relatively quick due to the heat. We stripped them back down to their outfits and moved along to the orchard to pick some apples.

I got some cute shots of the boys and a huge bag of apples! Nathan grabbed a rotten apple and went straight for the mouth with it. I was so grossed out, but he didn't seem to care in the least. I just cleaned him up and tried to forget about it. I gave him a good apple to deter him from grabbing another nasty one. Being the good sharing soul that he is Nathan wanted to feed Tyler again, but they weren't very successful at getting much of a bite.

The boys started to get a little cranky, one was tired and the other hungry, so we called it a day. We had a great time on our outing, and I only feel mildly guilty for sticking them in those outfits and messing with their schedules to get in a little family and photo time! I love hanging out with Joelle. I am very thankful for the bond we have through our boys and just being kindred spirits. We are happy that we can foster a friendship so early in the life of our boys and we'll make sure to show them all of the embarrassing pictures when they are about 15! Stay tuned for a report on the pie!

My Sleeping Angel

Ahh, my sleeping Angel. He is so funny and ends up in the most interesting positions, this being one of them! I am entering into a contest on 5 minutes for mom for a new bedroom set for him. He won't be in his crib too much longer and I would love to win this beautiful new set (Summer Breeze) for when we switch him to his new room and "big boy" bed!

Let there be (fluorescent) Light!

Ok, I am sorry for my third post of the day, but I have to update on this before I forget! We have accomplished #72 on my 101 and I didn't have to pay for the bulbs or wait until the other ones burned out!! Ollie's girlfriend Pam found out about Project 20/20 (named after the average number of light bulbs in each house), which is co-sponsored by Wal-mart and Brown university. They will come and replace all of your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs for FREE. They came yesterday evening and replaced 23 bulbs in our house (including our downstairs in-law). The only bulbs they could not replace were 6 we had in the family room and 1 in Nathan's bedroom (these lights are on dimmers) and the bulbs in the bathroom fixture. I am so excited that Pam found this opportunity because we saved lots of money and are taking small steps to help the environment. The catch is, they take your old light bulbs when they replace them. We were curious about why they would want our old light bulbs and they told us that an art student at Brown is creating an art piece that is basically a huge Lite-Brite!

So, from what I hear you can still get them to come do this for you. To sign up for new light bulbs, call (401) 863-7976 or send an e-mail to proj2020@gmail.com.