Eight-legged Protector

Big brother Liam has some interesting ideas regarding Maia. Such as, his stuffed spiders are good spiders that protect Maia, and Maia's blanket is actually a spider web made by the "good spider", protecting her from the "bad spider" (which one was good and bad kept changing).




Sleep well, little Maia...protected by your arachnid friends. *smile*

(*SIGH* big brothers....)

Liam and Maia

Liam is definitely happy with his little sister, and is very cute around her. He is smitten with her tiny little feet, for some reason, and loves commenting on them. He helps me try to wake her up for feedings, and talks to her when I am changing her, and even went as far as to shield her eyes from camera flashes when we were trying to take pictures of her (yeah, kind of hard to take pictures of her cute face, but it was a sweet gesture from her protective big brother).

Liam is a Big Brother!

Liam now has a little sister! Maia Elizabeth! And he seems really thrilled with her. I am really behind on things so I don't really have time to post much, so I will have to come back and post more. But he has kissed her on the head and gotten giggly and cute with how little her feet and such are, and asked questions about why her feet has white stuff on it (she's dry, needs lotion), and what the icky thing on her belly button is (the cord stump).

Here is a picture of them together.

"Come out, Baby! It's safe here!"

This is one of the many things that Liam has said to the baby in my belly, in helping to try to get the baby to come out. I've been telling him we need to convince the baby to come out, and he's been doing a good job.



He's told the baby it's nice and cozy out here. That it's fun out here. That we are really nice and want to see the baby. To come sit in mommy's lap, or snuggle with us.



When I have picked the baby up from Daycare, he has told the baby to come out, that his playschool is nice, and that there is a baby room for the baby to go into. He has made room next to his seat on chairs and couches, saying that the baby can come out and sit next to him, that he has made a spot for him/her.



He has asked about the baby at times, wondering what it's doing or how it will come out, and he has told me that "it's okay, it won't really hurt to come out, I'll ask the baby to be careful". He sometimes tries to tickle the baby's feet.



He's remembering that the boy's name is Oliver, but still doesn't really remember Maia (maya). But he does go between saying it's a sister and a brother. And most adorable is when he comes over and just randomly gives my belly a kiss.



I am looking forward to the dynamic that Liam has with his new sibling. I am sure there will be some tough times, especially in the beginning when he realizes that the new baby is not all fun and games and is here to stay. But I feel so much better seeing the interest he has. And how sweet he is about it. And with me...he's shown an interest in taking care of me. I love him!

ARRRGGHHHHH!!

(Captain of his ship)


(holding onto the "mast" of his ship, while standing on the "crow's nest") (he's a big fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, and he loves the opening scene with Jack Sparrow on his little boat/ship)

Pirate Party

Running short on time, so it will be a quick post. Just wanted to share some pictures from Liam's Pirate Birthday Party (Arrrrr!). It was rather hectic, with all the people there (30+ people!) so I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I had planned. I will have to get some more from my mom and sisters, and maybe actually get around to updating Liam's main picture site with them. (yeah, I know, I am almost a year behind on that now...doh).

Pirate games were played. I completely didn't take a picture of the "Pin The Patch On The Pirate" game, but Matt had drawn a large pirate on a cardboard background, and all the kids had black paper eye patches to try to stick over the pirate's eye. They were all blind-folded, which Liam didn't like and promptly took off so that he could place his eye patch appropriately...which apparently WASN'T over the pirate's eye but over his chest. *sigh* I won't claim Liam as my child for THAT one (usually you do BETTER when you cheat). Alia won that one, followed by Connor.

Second we had "Feed The Shark", a beanbag toss game. I DO have pictures from that one.




We kind of forgot to keep track for this one...it was so much fun that the kids just kept tossing over and over again. I think Connor and Alia again had more (those kids must get a lot of party-game practice in), but no one really cared.

And finally, we had "Dig For Buried Treasure". I didn't take pictures of any of the kids actually digging for the treasure, as I was helping to take the "treasure" as the kids found it to give them a better chance...but here is the bowl they were digging through.



Buried in the "sand" (uncooked rice) was "treasure" (individually wrapped life savers). Each of the kids was blind-folded and had 30 seconds to dig their hands through it and feel for the treasure, and I would take it from them to let them continue digging faster. I think Xander won this one, finding 9 or so. Liam...well, let's just say this wasn't his game...Grandmom helped him find the ones he managed to get. Eh...guess he just isn't a party-game player just yet. At least, he has no real interest in them. But everyone else certainly had fun.

Okay, onward to the cake. A cake befitting a pirate captain celebrating his birthday.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIAM!


THAR HE BLOWS!



Some of Captain Liam's booty!




All in all, in was a good pirate party, and Liam was very happy. I love you, Liam. Happy Birthday!

Four

Today is a very special day. It's March 10th.

Four years ago today, my son was born, and I became a mother. It seems an eternity ago, so much has happened with him. He's grown up so quick, and so big. No longer a little baby or even toddler, but a little boy. And it seems like he won't be little for much longer. The things he says, the things he remembers, the concepts he grasps, the imagination he has...it's all so amazing. It just blows my mind. I am so proud of him.

This...



...is now this...



(sorry for poor quality, will upload better one when I can get one)


I could go on and on about him, but where do I stop? There is just so much to tell about him, so much to share. I suddenly am overwhelmed with how much there is to share. His love of pirates and everything Pirates of the Caribbean. His love of firetrucks and rescue vehicles. The way he smiles. His hugs, and his kisses. His reasoning, and lack thereof. The way he snores softly when asleep. How he dresses and undresses himself, and even how he uses the potty like a big boy. His imagination, his point of view, and his memory of things. All unbelieveable. Completely...

Fire and Ice

This past weekend we took Liam to the annual Fire and Ice Festival, where he had a blast looking at, and riding, fire trucks and police cars...and going into an old fire station...and so much more.

I already posted about it on my main blog, so instead of trying to recreate that post, with all it's pictures, instead I will just include a link to that particular post. Check it out.

http://seagoatsunravelings.blogspot.com/2011/01/fire-and-ice.html

What can I say about Liam?

Every day Liam amazes me, and fills my life with joy, and I feel like I should be able to write tons and tons of stuff on my blog. But when I try to think of what to post about, I have trouble coming up with things to write. Not because there isn't really anything...but because there is so much that is all little stuff that I don't know how I should be picking and choosing...it all seems so random. The little stuff is definitely what matters, and what is important. But it seems odd to put out a post that describes Liam's random comment during a meal, or the way his hair stuck up when he got up this morning (just out on the sides, like wings), or the way he gets a wry look on his face at times that makes him seem so much older than his just-under-four-years self. I wonder if people care to read that stuff...while it's noteworthy to me, does it fall into that category for others (not that anyone probably reads this much, heh...still...I am making a point here)? Do people want to hear that Liam's new favorite movie is "Despicable Me" but that he calls it "Dupickled Smee"? And that he quotes it, and acts out parts of it? I think it cute every time he does, but it loses impact when just written and maybe doesn't make for good posting material.

So...if you don't see me posting about Liam for chunks at a time...don't assume that there is nothing going on in his life. It's that there is always something, but it's something little...every single day. And it's really hard to post about that, without boring the tears out of people (at least, I think it is).

Cindy Hah Ho, Tentacles, and TJ Hooker

Just a few random things about Liam that are bringing a smile to my lips.

First, there is his interpretation of what he hears, and what he thinks. He has gotten several matchbox rescue vehicles, including a Hazmat truck. He's been playing with it, and pretending it's been going to help people clean up messes...except that he refers to them as tentacles. The Hazmat truck has to go clean up tentacles from the road.

He also likes to sing various songs, and one of them goes like this: "Cindy Hah Hoh, having a wonderful time." He explains that there is a person named Cindy Hah Hoh and she's having a great time at Christmas. Heh. Yes...that IS the Paul McCartney song, "Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time".

He has several TV shows he likes to watch, though we haven't had the TV on all that much. However, one of the shows that apparently he says he really likes watching (and this is something Matt left on for him), is a show called "TJ Hooker". I had never seen and had only heard of it, and it's not at all my type of show...but Liam seems to love it (because there is a police man in it), and insists on watching it. And he pretends to be TJ Hooker, running around getting bad guys. *sigh* My son...enamored with William Shatner. What's next.

There are more things, but I have run out of time for now. More at a later date.

I'll leave you with one of his devious little pictures.

Mommy can pull her pants up

This morning, as I was getting ready for work, my son wandered in after having gotten up out of bed, and climbed onto my bed. He chattered on about random things, in between me chattering on about all the stuff that had to be done still. Suddenly, out of the blue, he says to me "Wow, mommy. You are REALLY good at that." I paused, wondering what I was really good at? Venting? Complaining? Talking too much? So I asked him what I was so good at.

"Putting your clothes on" was his response. I had just pulled my pants on, and he had paid enough attention to notice me doing this and that I had done it pretty quickly (for a pregnant woman, anyway). He has been putting on his own clothes for a little while now, but still struggles a bit with it at times, having to figure out the orientation of the clothing (tag in back, waistband at top), and making sure each leg goes down it's separate pant-leg, and then he has to stand up and pull them up all the way and untwist the band and...well, it's a lot of effort. And apparently something he thinks about enough to notice I didn't have those problems. So....

I am a pro at pulling up my pants. Yay for me (it's good to be admired by yours kids for something).

Dry all day!

Liam has been doing exceedingly well with potty training now. He wears underwear when he is home with us and has even ridden in the car a few times, without any problems. He asks to go, and hasn't really had an accident in a while. He has been sleeping through naps and nighttime in underwear without issue as well. The only time he seems to be not using the potty is when he is at daycare, where he still uses a diaper. We had asked about sending him in with several pairs of pants and underwear, but they told us to keep him in diapers, because daycare is too distracting and he probably would just wet them a lot.

Well, today Matt took the initiative to send him in still wearing underwear, along with extra pants and a diaper. And Liam came home in his underwear, STILL DRY! He used the potty at daycare without issue, and didn't need his diaper. I am SOOO proud of him. And he was so happy and excited as well, as we praised him over and over again. I know there will be accidents, and even regression once the baby is born, but I think he's finally got it together now. Woohoo!

Unbelieveably sweet

At some point this past week, I got upset about something and broke down crying. That happens, I am emotional a lot (I am pointing a finger at being pregnant). While I was sitting there on the floor, just crying my heart out, Liam comes over to me. He has a very sad face, and he looks like he wants to cry, too. He sits down next to me, and puts his hand on my knee, and sniffs a few tears back. Every now and then he looks up at me, and when I thanked him for sitting with me, he patted my leg and said "It's okay, mommy. You're good."

*melt*

Dry Weekend

We have been trying to potty train Liam and it's not been going all that well. He was doing much better half a year ago...asking to go most of the time he had to poop. Not really good about asking about having to pee. He would forget half the time, but would remember other times. He got incentive from getting a piece of chocolate when he went. But then that stopped really being incentive for him and he kind of just stopped asking. It's like he didn't care. A little bit of despair sunk in. Even when we promised that he could get a new fire truck toy (he loves fire trucks) if he went in the potty successfully enough times, it didn't seem to do it. We tried using actual underwear, hoping he would hate the feeling of the wet fabric. Didn't seem to concern him. He never pooped in them (thankfully), but would pee whenever he felt like it. Even character printed underwear didn't really give him incentive (in fact, he couldn't wait to pick out the next character after he peed. Arg.)

I didn't want to have to change two sets of diapers come April, so I was determined to get him learning. So we tried another approach. Every time he went in his diaper, or underwear, he had a toy taken away from him, starting with his favorites. This upset him when it happened, but he still wasn't really good about asking for a while. Whenever he DID ask and went, he got to pick one of the toys he had lost and got it back. Some days were good, some days were bad.

Then, suddenly, Thanksgiving he did pretty well most of the day. On Friday, he went the entire day without any accidents. We put him in underwear, and he asked every single time. He had all of his toys back, so we wanted to continue to give him incentive somehow. So we started putting hearts on a chart, telling him that if he got 5 hearts, he could go pick out a new fire truck toy at the store. And that if he messed up, we would take a toy away, and he wouldn't get a heart until after he had gotten all his toys back again and there wasn't anything to pick from. He did great most of Saturday, with only one big mistake in the evening, where he lost his toy. He promptly got it back the next morning. By mid-day Sunday he had 5 hearts, and he went to Target to pick out his fire truck toy. He was very thrilled with it, and proud, and has been playing with it non-stop. He now has one blue heart in the next row, ready for another 5. I am SO proud of him. Maybe this is where he'll suddenly just start doing well. That it will click in for him now. He has even had dry nights, even though usually it's a while before that happens while they are learning. I am not sure how many more toys we will get, but for now I am fine with getting him a few, if it serves as incentive for him.

Way to go, Liam!

The Joy of Fire Trucks

I know...the joy of fire trucks? What is she talking about? Do fire trucks actually bring you joy? Do they bring me joy? Actually, yes they do.
...Why?

Because Liam loves them.

I never thought that seeing a fire truck on the road would make my heart happier and bring a smile to my lips and even make me exclaim "Ooo look! A fire truck!" to no one at all while driving somewhere. But suddenly, now it does. Because my son loves them so much, and gets so excited when he sees one...heck, when he even just hears one. They bring him such delight. And I love that delight in him so much, that it brings me joy, too. So, yes...seeing a fire truck on the road, as I did today coming home from my yoga class, brings me surprising joy.

Updates to come

Yes, I am way behind on posting about Liam. Sorry, things have been hectic. I promise I will try to post more often. He's doing great, and it's always amazing to listen to him, to watch him. There are times when he seems so much older than his 3.5 years, and while I am proud of him growing up, I just want him to stop for a little bit. I'll definitely have to share some of his moments and quirks with you. But it will have to be another day.

No longer a toddler

I think I finally have to accept it. I can no longer call Liam a toddler. He is a boy now...my little boy. Growing up quicker than I can almost keep up with. This was realized today, when a big change was made.

Rewind to almost two weeks ago, right after I put Liam to bed. I had peeked in to check on him...and he wasn't in his crib bed (crib with the side removed). He was laying on the floor. I asked him why he was there on the floor. He said "My bed is not comfy. I need a big boy bed." This was news to me. Was he serious? Night after night, nap time after nap time, he insisted on sleeping on the floor, claiming that he was waiting for a big boy bed. He DOES have the softest carpet in the house and the crib mattress IS super firm, being made for an infant. Maybe it was time for an upgrade. Time to make the dreaded move away from toddler-hood.

Today it happened. Today, THIS was how he started his nap:



His big boy bed arrived today. We ordered him a twin mattress and frame...and it arrived today. We set it up, threw some CARS sheets on it. And he was thrilled. VERY excited. Giggled over it, jumped on it a few times, laid down on it. No complaints about taking a nap. No complaints about going to bed tonight. And no more sleeping on the floor. He is a very happy boy. And I am a very proud (if somewhat sad for the moment) mother, of a little boy who is no longer quite so little.

Blood, blood, everywhere

Okay, well maybe not EVERYWHERE. Although it looked like it at first. All over the sheets. On the bed frame. On Emily…

Oh…what I am talking about? Hehheh. Sorry. No, it’s not a slasher flick. I am talking about Liam’s night-time nosebleed. I had just put him down for bed, and was downstairs for less than 3 minutes when I heard him call to me in some distress. Sighing, I went back into his room, asking him what was wrong. “Boogers, Mommy. Lots of boogers”, he informed me in a teary voice. I sighed again at how dramatic my son could be over a runny nose and fetched a tissue. Upon handing it to him, though, I noticed dark spots on the sheets in the light of the nightlight. Crap. Sure enough, turning on the light revealed that he had a nosebleed. There were splotches all over the sheets and he had managed to smear it all over his face and both arms, and had rubbed it all over Emily’s face (she is his stuffed ermine…a white weasel for those unfamiliar). He had even managed to get some of the bars of his modified crib. I spent the next half hour cleaning up, as it took a while for the bleeding to stop, and I had to comfort him and give him an ice-pop to help apply ice to the area (or as close as possible) and to give him something to keep his mind occupied, while I changed the sheets on his bed. Then it was back to bed, and I then had to scrub the blood stains out of the sheets and Emily (note: cold water and rubbing salt into the stain works great apparently). And now I am finally done.

No more crib

I have said this many, many times...but I will say it again. My little boy is growing up too quickly. Gone is the little baby that relied on me to get around. The little baby that I would rock and sing to sleep. And then would lay down in his crib...

...his crib that now looks like this.



He no longer seems quite so little...no longer sleeping in a crib. He can get in and out of his bed at will and seems quite tickled with this. He spent the first 15 minutes after I removed the side climbing in and out of his bed...pretending to be asleep, and then waking up and getting out of his bed. His first night went pretty well...some chattering and getting out of bed once to cover up his air vent...no falling out of bed. And when he woke up, he was immediately thrilled that he could get right out of it. I heard him from our room: "MOMMY! I woke up!" And then "I am standing up on the floor!".

*sigh*

Quadruple Three

Just thought it worth noting that today Liam is 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days old.