Slow and Yellow

Attentively sitting in his Thinking Chair, handy dandy notebook ready, watching Blue's Clues

All day I've been planning to blog some really cute things Nolan has been saying, and now that he's in bed, the kitchen is cleaned, the tub toys put away, the sticky stuff wiped up in the hallway(don't ask, and, I don't actually know anyway), and Mike in Toronto, I can't remember any of them.

But, I do recall that when I tell him to go slow (like- when he's going down the stairs clutching his sippy cup instead of holding my hand) he says, emphatically "Lllllllllooooooooooooowww." And when we are coloring- he's good at naming red, green and yellow, less consistent with the others- yellow is "Llow!". Hmmm. I wonder if he thinks there's a connection or not? I mean, I have never assumed yellow to be a slow colour, actually it seems kind of zippy.

After supper we were playing with his gold clubs and light up ball, and running in circles, and he stopped a few times to show off how he can JUMP! With both feet!

Jeez he is maturing fast. Stubborn little sweetieheart.

Teething Bites

But, first, a cute photo of a group reading session w/ Aunty Nica, Uncle Jeff and Cousin Bump

Yesterday, Nolan woke from his second nap (had played himself out all day) with a hue and cry- and when Mike was trying to console him, gave a ferocious bite (he usually doesn't bite Mike)- leaving a smear of blood behind. Had Nolan actually gone cannibal? No- he was teething so badly he was BLEEDING from the gums, and was just beside himself. He seems to have bilateral molars and canines coming in at the same time- Yowtch. Copious ibuprofen is keeping it kind of OK but he gets very labile emotionally and he isn't sleeping well.

What a silly system- to have sensitive developing toddlers have to go through terrible gnawing pain just to be able to eat carrot sticks eventually. Nolan seems to have inherited Mike's teeth- BIG teeth. His baby teeth are as big as some people permanent choppers- given his slight underbite (cute, not weird- looking fortunately) I do worry there will be overcrowding, and orthodontics in the future.


Enough about teeth- some utterances:


All gone, alldone, all gone - always in sequence. In cased you missed the fact that whatever it is, is it no longer there, it's not going, nope, nada.

Sorry! To a little girl who netted a time out for pushing him down- after he pushed her first.

Home Home Home!!! - On the way home from a party at a neighbours, tired.

Car!- He just is loving then right now.

Off???? - I'd like to go turn that light off now.

Dooooor??? - I'm going to knock at the door, come in, say "Shee You!" and go out, again and again. Thanks.

Gotta work on a talk for work, got to go.

By the way, a new post slipped in there before the photo sets

I summarized a bunch of new cute Nolan actions, it's called "Back from Holiday, Taller". It was an unfinished draft so that's why it's behind the pics.
Go read it, then come back.

Ok, so just to add as a Mothers Day thought- I LOVE MY STURDY, HAPPY, SWEET, STUBBORN, FUNNY, DETERMINED LITTLE MAN !!! SUPERNOVA OF MATERNAL LOVE!

Today he climbed up and down a ladder (Mike was behind him but not touching him, if I had been there i would have FREAKED)- a pretty advanced thing to do. Then overtired, he melted down, had to cuddle and soothe self by nursing a bit (desperately- like a junkie when he's upset)- then fell asleep petting me. This more babylike event reminded me that the world is a big confusing place for a young toddler, when you get right down to it. When I tried to quietly get up (and go fill out out census form, actually) the little paw - ?sleeping or not? - came out and wrapped around my arm, softly but decisively, as if he was saying:

Mommy stays here for now. Thanks.

Mexico Part IV

Aunty Anica- looking like a movie star (they are all pregnant too now, anyway)
Watching waves
A serious conversation
Peek- a -boo!

 

Mexico Part III

Found objects are the most interesting...
so handsome it HURTS, call my agent to see my portfolio...
Mike was there too- in his new holiday hat, with boy, on rock
Eating at the Italian restaurant at the beach...and Mama's holiday hat

 

Mexico Part II

Call part II: Nolan saying "Nonay? Ok, Ok dokay, BYEEEE"
"If I only get one sip, it's going to be a GOOD one"...at Brasil, all you can eat EXCELLENT BBQ
Jeff, Anica, and their babybump, likely to be named Leo....
Ta da! Welcome to my beachhouse!

 

Mexico Photos I

Bright lights, big smiles, a bit tired.....
In the square near the Malecon, Puerto Vallarta- VERY HOT!! Many pigeons!!!
Running after the pigeons, Uncle Jeff in pursuit as well
Making an important call

 

Back from holiday, taller

Honestly, he grew while we were away - the heat and excitement and routine change made regular sleeping and eating challenging, but he is TALLER. And since getting home he's been eating a LOT, I think to make up for the many meals in Mexico that he managed to eat enough to keep body and soul together- but much less than what he usually ate.

Portable DVDs are the best thing to travel with- really, rather than having a peeved squirming yowly toddler, a quiet fascinated one watching an educational show is much better in enclosed spaces. I have NO REGRETS. And, regarding the use of gravol or benadryl to"settle" your kid during flights- commonly done, controversial among parents, and on the way there N had a brutal cold so was getting some meds for that (not sure if it helped him sleep or not, but he was a hot sweaty miserable little runny nosed guy pasted to me for the whole trip).

On the way back I still had the stuff, and he was getting overtired and rammy and bitey (still, like that when tired) but I decided to wait and he passed out and had a nice natural sleep on his own. My R arm and neck remain out of whack- how does a 29-ish pound child suddenly get so much HEAVIER when sleeping? Local gravity increase??

We have regretfully cancelled another trip- too much travelling lately, so N and I won't go to Ontario w/ Daddy- it would be nice to see the grandparents in law but I can't really take the time from work. Also, Nolan is soon out of the age range for being a lap child, but as he's a big as some 3y olds already I must say this was getting challenging enough that I don't think I'd do it again anyway. It's like holding a large sack of potatoes on your lap for hours- only you have to entertain the potatoes, then soothe the potatoes, then not wake the potatoes up, but shift them intermittently so they don't wake up stiff and cramped, keep them asleep by singing judiciously, and ignore the cries of your bladder for the last half of the flight.

New words
toopashTE- toothpaste
soookle? - I'd like to take that hotel desk pen and draw circles on everything in arms reach
shut - shirt
deridis- there it is
draaawinnn! - drawing

New Games and phrases
Ring the door bell, say "ding dong"- open door, grin, say "sheeeyou!" (See you) and close the door. Repeat. repeat. repeat.

"Dock? Woof-woof? Dock??"- then go visit the neighbour dogs

Clap for self with any new accomplishment-e.g. put the lid back on the vaseline jar after diaper (di-poo) change- clap and say "Yayy!"

Pretend to put moisturizer on face, then request toopashte and "tooth- Brushhh"?, try to brush teeth. Observe Mommy brushing teeth (a lot more vigorous brushing going on than in Nolan's mouth) decide her toothbrush must be better than yours, and switch. Be puzzled when the new brush isn't all scrubby like it was when she had it. Refuse to let her brush your teeth for you about 50% of the time, with any brush.

As a last comment, here's some proposals for daycare names I found on another blog. I particularly like The Snot Spot, and Germnasium...not that I dislike daycares, the ones around here are fabulous and enriching, but I couldn't face getting Nolan ready and out the door every day - a real challenge for a lot of dual career families, and our nanny is super.

Day Care Names

• Running with Pencils
• The Snot Spot
• The Daisy Hill Puppy Farm
• KinderPrison
• Happy-Go-Funtime Germnasium
• Mommy's Little Helpers (No, Not Xanax)