Henry is terrified of a few things. The first is the vacuum cleaner, the second is Tickle Me Elmo and the third is the hair dryer. He cowers in fear when he sees or hears them.
For the past few months, he has also been afraid of going to the pediatrician. He used to just scream as soon as he saw the doctor, but now he screams as soon as we get into the exam room. As I mentioned, he screamed during his entire 15 month well baby visit this week.
Today I had the pleasure of bringing him to the pediatric dentist for his chipped teeth. As soon as he saw the waiting room, he started to cry. I calmed him down and offered him the toys that they had. Not interested. He sat on my lap the entire time. As soon as he saw the first nurse, he started to cry again. I go him calmed down again and then the worst part happened. I was filling out the paperwork (with him clinging to me) and his little bottom lip curled out and he just started to weep. Not screaming, just big fat tears rolling down his cheeks. The poor baby was truly terrified. I felt like such a jerk putting him through this, but I really felt like he needed to be examined. I dug out his pacifier and he was able to pull himself together. Until we hit the exam room of course! The doctor heard him screaming with the nurse and hot-footed it right in there for his exam! I guess that is one benefit to all of the screaming, quick service!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Mother of the Year
I don't think I will be winning any awards today. First, I was looking in Henry's mouth today and I noticed that one of his front teeth is chipped. Not sure when that happened, he has taken quite a few blows to the head recently. He thinks he is Evil Kneivel.
Second, I was letting him walk at Rite Aid today and he pulled the stroller over. A bag containing a bottle of vinegar broke and spilled all over the diaper bag, his coat and of course the aisle at the store.
Third, I was feeding him dinner. He likes Indian food so I was feeding him some chicken tikka masala, basmati rice and chick peas. I had something called a dosa which was stuffed with spinach and cheese that I thought he might like. I gave him a little and then he got a funny look on his face. He got a little red and then started grabbing his tongue. Oops, I guess it was a little too spicy!
Second, I was letting him walk at Rite Aid today and he pulled the stroller over. A bag containing a bottle of vinegar broke and spilled all over the diaper bag, his coat and of course the aisle at the store.
Third, I was feeding him dinner. He likes Indian food so I was feeding him some chicken tikka masala, basmati rice and chick peas. I had something called a dosa which was stuffed with spinach and cheese that I thought he might like. I gave him a little and then he got a funny look on his face. He got a little red and then started grabbing his tongue. Oops, I guess it was a little too spicy!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Our apartment overflows...
Most people complain that their baby is overtaking their house. Henry has more toys than the average NYC baby from what I have seen. His room is filled with little ride on toys and suburban sized things. Our dining room has his two strollers and the tunnel that I bought him from Ikea. The foyer has his play kitchen and musical instruments. The real kitchen has his little red table and chairs that he picked out himself. The living room is teeming with books spilling off the shelves and the bathroom has buckets for bathtime and foam letters that float. Our bedroom always has his little slippers and shoes floating around and Adam finds things that he hides in his closet. Even our hallway has paper unrolled down it where Henry and his little friend were coloring today.
For some reason, it doesn't bother me one bit (or Adam either). I just love coming home and seeing all of his "stuff." It just serves to remind us that he is here for good!
For some reason, it doesn't bother me one bit (or Adam either). I just love coming home and seeing all of his "stuff." It just serves to remind us that he is here for good!
Henry's 15 Month Stats
Henry had his 15 month appointment today:
He is 31 1/2 inches tall and weighs 21 lbs, 12 ounces. Tall and skinny. Of course he had some weight loss with his horrible stomach virus after New Year's so I was pleased with the gain. I also loaded him with a smoothie in the waiting room but that is another story!
He had three shots. He screamed from the second the nurse said hello to him until I got his coat on by the front door. I think the doctor said he was doing great, I couldn't hear her over the shreiking. Great times. He really LOVES going to the doctor.
He is 31 1/2 inches tall and weighs 21 lbs, 12 ounces. Tall and skinny. Of course he had some weight loss with his horrible stomach virus after New Year's so I was pleased with the gain. I also loaded him with a smoothie in the waiting room but that is another story!
He had three shots. He screamed from the second the nurse said hello to him until I got his coat on by the front door. I think the doctor said he was doing great, I couldn't hear her over the shreiking. Great times. He really LOVES going to the doctor.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Animal noise of a city boy
Henry has just started to repeat animal noises when we are reading books, but won't do it on demand. In his defense, what animals does he really see? We see a few dogs but I am petrified of him getting bitten in the stroller so I run the other way. He doesn't have much exposure to cats. Forget about farm animals. The only other animals he might see are pigeons and who knows what sound they make.
One thing that he does hear often is the sounds of the coffee grinder and the immersion blender when I make him smoothies. We were walking through the kitchen yesterday and he started pointing at the blender. We stopped and I let him hold the stick portion. He started making the same whirring noise that the blender makes. Do you think the doctor will count this at his checkup?
One thing that he does hear often is the sounds of the coffee grinder and the immersion blender when I make him smoothies. We were walking through the kitchen yesterday and he started pointing at the blender. We stopped and I let him hold the stick portion. He started making the same whirring noise that the blender makes. Do you think the doctor will count this at his checkup?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Nap Transition Hell
Until recently, Henry took two blissful (for me at least) naps per day. He would wake around 8am and eat breakfast. He would go back down around 10:30am, sleep until noon and eat lunch. We would go about our day and he would nap again around 3:30 pm for an hour or so. Wake for dinner, more playing and then off to bed around 8pm. Very predictable and nice.
He got his little stomach flu on New Year's Eve and then things were even better. He was so tired that he was taking two, TWO hour naps per day and going to bed at 7pm. I would even throw in a little nap for myself in the morning (I was sick too).
We went to visit my sister last week and all hell broke loose. He had gotten used to me coddling him again when he was sick and flat out refused to sleep alone. Add in a pack and play and a room that he didn't recognize and it was a sleeping disaster.
We got home and found that Henry had made the executive decision to give up napping. I would put him down and he would scream and scream. While we are trying to suss out his new schedule of what time to put him down the only way to get him to sleep is in the stroller. I have tried all different nap times and there is no pattern. I am running around like a crazy person trying to get food in him and re-arrange his little baby life to get him back on a schedule.
He is sleeping for about 45 minutes at nap time once per day and wants to go to bed at 6pm. Not a good schedule for anyone. Adam doesn't see him, I am a crazed, unshowered lunatic by the end of the day, Henry is a crabby mess and he wants to get up and play at 3am for an hour.
I am hoping we are through this little rough patch soon!
He got his little stomach flu on New Year's Eve and then things were even better. He was so tired that he was taking two, TWO hour naps per day and going to bed at 7pm. I would even throw in a little nap for myself in the morning (I was sick too).
We went to visit my sister last week and all hell broke loose. He had gotten used to me coddling him again when he was sick and flat out refused to sleep alone. Add in a pack and play and a room that he didn't recognize and it was a sleeping disaster.
We got home and found that Henry had made the executive decision to give up napping. I would put him down and he would scream and scream. While we are trying to suss out his new schedule of what time to put him down the only way to get him to sleep is in the stroller. I have tried all different nap times and there is no pattern. I am running around like a crazy person trying to get food in him and re-arrange his little baby life to get him back on a schedule.
He is sleeping for about 45 minutes at nap time once per day and wants to go to bed at 6pm. Not a good schedule for anyone. Adam doesn't see him, I am a crazed, unshowered lunatic by the end of the day, Henry is a crabby mess and he wants to get up and play at 3am for an hour.
I am hoping we are through this little rough patch soon!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Talking Update
For posterity, I want to list Henry's current vocabulary at a few days shy of 15 months:
Mama
Dada
Shoe
No
Yes
Dog
Duck
Bath Time
Four
Five
Baba for any and all drinks
Wawa for water
Door
Banana
Hi
Ball
Hello
Bye Bye
Hi Dad
He also sings the first part of "Row Your Boat." When we read Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear? he repeats the animal noises but won't do them on command.
He also now knows his head, nose, feet, mouth. He can also follow two step commands such as "Get your slippers, they are in the kitchen." His receptive language is excellent, I feel like he understands almost everything we say now.
Mama
Dada
Shoe
No
Yes
Dog
Duck
Bath Time
Four
Five
Baba for any and all drinks
Wawa for water
Door
Banana
Hi
Ball
Hello
Bye Bye
Hi Dad
He also sings the first part of "Row Your Boat." When we read Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear? he repeats the animal noises but won't do them on command.
He also now knows his head, nose, feet, mouth. He can also follow two step commands such as "Get your slippers, they are in the kitchen." His receptive language is excellent, I feel like he understands almost everything we say now.
Who Stole My Baby, Part II
Henry attended the 3rd Birthday party today for Dylan, who is the son of our friends, Chuck and Natalie. It was held at this fun place in CT where there was a water table room, a big climbing structure/indoor playroom, an art room, a dancing room with bubbles and a big gym area with tunnels to crawl through and balls to throw etc.
Henry jumped into all of the activities with gusto and wasn't nervous around the bigger kids at all. He was running around like he too was three years old. My favorite part was at the end when all of the kids filed into the room where the pizza and cake were being served. The pizza was already set out on the little kid sized tables and each of the kids just grabbed a seat. Henry made some sort of involuntary growling sound when he saw the pizza and sat down with all of the kids. I guess we can add pizza to the list of things that he recognizes and likes! He ate almost an entire slice, washed down with this little paper cup of apple juice and chased all of that with a slice of birthday cake. I couldn't believe what a little boy he looked like sitting at that table.
He was a little kooky on the way home, giggling and squirming in his car seat. I guess I can attribute it to the hefty dose of sugar he just ingested. He has such a great time, and it was so fun seeing him enjoy himself.
Henry jumped into all of the activities with gusto and wasn't nervous around the bigger kids at all. He was running around like he too was three years old. My favorite part was at the end when all of the kids filed into the room where the pizza and cake were being served. The pizza was already set out on the little kid sized tables and each of the kids just grabbed a seat. Henry made some sort of involuntary growling sound when he saw the pizza and sat down with all of the kids. I guess we can add pizza to the list of things that he recognizes and likes! He ate almost an entire slice, washed down with this little paper cup of apple juice and chased all of that with a slice of birthday cake. I couldn't believe what a little boy he looked like sitting at that table.
He was a little kooky on the way home, giggling and squirming in his car seat. I guess I can attribute it to the hefty dose of sugar he just ingested. He has such a great time, and it was so fun seeing him enjoy himself.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Don't you wish he was your neighbor?
One of the kids (11 years old) that lives in our building posted the most adorable, hand-written sign on the bulletin board in our basement. It was written in pencil and detailed services he was willing to provide. The services were "anything," his rates "it depends," his weekday hours were after school and on the weekends "it depends." No job is too small.
I love industrious kids and I have been trying to think of something he could do for me. Adam works late and we often have plans on the weekend so there are lots of little things that always need to be done. Adam has been away all week on a business trip and I have been watching our Christmas tree dry up like the Sahara Desert. Although I took down the ornaments, there really was no way I was going to get it out of the stand, stuff it in the elevator, ride five flights to the basement and drag it out to the courtyard with Henry on my back. Also add in the unpleasantness of sweeping up the pine needles from the apartment, hallway and elevator. I think I finally had my project for Andrew!
I called this afternoon and cleared the project with his mom. She sent him right up after school and he set to work. He dragged it to the basement with lightning speed, vacuumed, and was crawling around on his hands and knees sweeping pine needles. All while Henry followed him around like a puppy and tried to shove cheddar goldfish in his mouth. He played with Henry, carried him around the apartment and chattered a mile a minute while doing his work. He told me that he didn't care if it took him all night, he wanted a satisfied customer. Apparently I am the first person to call him, so I tried to give him tips on getting more business.
After all of his hard work, I asked him how much he was going to charge for the job. He thought a minute and then told me TWO DOLLARS. I told him that was too little and that he should re-think his pricing structure. He then raised it to four dollars and told me that was his final quote. I gave him ten dollars and he about had a heart attack. I told him it was a bonus to help him get his business started and not to waste it on video games. He looked at me very sincerely and told me that he was going to save it.
How sweet is that? At those rates I don't plan on ever lifting a finger again!
I love industrious kids and I have been trying to think of something he could do for me. Adam works late and we often have plans on the weekend so there are lots of little things that always need to be done. Adam has been away all week on a business trip and I have been watching our Christmas tree dry up like the Sahara Desert. Although I took down the ornaments, there really was no way I was going to get it out of the stand, stuff it in the elevator, ride five flights to the basement and drag it out to the courtyard with Henry on my back. Also add in the unpleasantness of sweeping up the pine needles from the apartment, hallway and elevator. I think I finally had my project for Andrew!
I called this afternoon and cleared the project with his mom. She sent him right up after school and he set to work. He dragged it to the basement with lightning speed, vacuumed, and was crawling around on his hands and knees sweeping pine needles. All while Henry followed him around like a puppy and tried to shove cheddar goldfish in his mouth. He played with Henry, carried him around the apartment and chattered a mile a minute while doing his work. He told me that he didn't care if it took him all night, he wanted a satisfied customer. Apparently I am the first person to call him, so I tried to give him tips on getting more business.
After all of his hard work, I asked him how much he was going to charge for the job. He thought a minute and then told me TWO DOLLARS. I told him that was too little and that he should re-think his pricing structure. He then raised it to four dollars and told me that was his final quote. I gave him ten dollars and he about had a heart attack. I told him it was a bonus to help him get his business started and not to waste it on video games. He looked at me very sincerely and told me that he was going to save it.
How sweet is that? At those rates I don't plan on ever lifting a finger again!
Please send checks to Henry's "Grape Fund"
Before Henry, we did not do much grocery shopping. We ate breakfast and lunch at work, and ordered dinner or went out most nights. We are not big snackers, so we didn't keep much food in the house.
Now that I am home and we have Henry, we are forced to shop like normal people. Frankly I am horrified at the cost of certain products. Henry drinks whole milk now and he is supposed to get 16 oz per day. We buy him organic, antibiotic free milk since it is such a large part of his diet. We don't want him glowing in the dark one day or mooing like a cow on steroids from all of the junk that cows are shot up with. A half gallon in our store is $4.99! We could shop around a bit and save a little money, but not much. Conceivably we could go through a carton every two days. Luckily he doesn't like it that much so it is more like every three days.
More shocking is the price of grapes. Henry adores grapes. I had to move the fruit bowl out of his sight while he is eating otherwise that is all he wants. The boy can seriously put down a half a pound of grapes in one day. I fill his little bowl and he is constantly campaigning for more. He walks into the kitchen and holds his bowl up and points at the grapes. Now that they are out of season, they are $4.99 per pound at our local market. I almost killed Adam once when he paid $5.99 a pound! Even the storekeeper stopped him to make sure he knew how much they were. Once he heard they were "for the baby" he understood!
So, in lieu of gifts toward his college fund, Henry would appreciate donations to support his grape eating obsession before his mother cuts him off.
Now that I am home and we have Henry, we are forced to shop like normal people. Frankly I am horrified at the cost of certain products. Henry drinks whole milk now and he is supposed to get 16 oz per day. We buy him organic, antibiotic free milk since it is such a large part of his diet. We don't want him glowing in the dark one day or mooing like a cow on steroids from all of the junk that cows are shot up with. A half gallon in our store is $4.99! We could shop around a bit and save a little money, but not much. Conceivably we could go through a carton every two days. Luckily he doesn't like it that much so it is more like every three days.
More shocking is the price of grapes. Henry adores grapes. I had to move the fruit bowl out of his sight while he is eating otherwise that is all he wants. The boy can seriously put down a half a pound of grapes in one day. I fill his little bowl and he is constantly campaigning for more. He walks into the kitchen and holds his bowl up and points at the grapes. Now that they are out of season, they are $4.99 per pound at our local market. I almost killed Adam once when he paid $5.99 a pound! Even the storekeeper stopped him to make sure he knew how much they were. Once he heard they were "for the baby" he understood!
So, in lieu of gifts toward his college fund, Henry would appreciate donations to support his grape eating obsession before his mother cuts him off.
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