But Mama, I'm not tired!

Ok, ok, so going for a drive to get out of the house just doesn't cut it now? Dear Ian informed me yesterday that although it was 3:00pm and he woke up for the day at 7:45am, he was not tired. Even though he'd played in his sandbox outside in the 90 degree weather for more than an hour. Even though we'd left the house, and he had played all morning with his cars, crayons, and brother. Even though he takes a nap every day. Yesterday, he did not.

So what's a mom to do?

Take him to the Aviary the next day and run his little legs off! And withhold his lunch until the drive home so that he was eating in the car instead of falling asleep. Yep. It worked. He was sawing logs just a few minutes after coming home, having his milk, and reading a story.

It's unfortunate that Aaron doesn't seem to have the same appreciation for morning entertainment as Ian does... but I'm sure he'll grow into it.

Feeling Crumb-y?

Ian seems to only pose for pictures and put on cute smiles when his face is dirty. Such is the life of a 2 year old boy, I guess! (& hop on over to the4thvandervort to see some nice new pictures of Aaron, too.)

Update on Sleeping

Ian has been out of his crib for almost 2 weeks. He hasn't really skipped a beat. He even slept really well while we were gone over the weekend. We stayed in Dianne's pop-up camper on Friday & Saturday nights. Ian didn't nap well in there, but he did sleep all night both nights. It is a relief to have a relatively good experience after such a disastrous camping trip 2 weeks ago.

Here's to continued sleeping success... we know how quickly things can go awry, so we're feeling blessed these days to have some "easy" nights. (with Ian, anyway.......)

Gone are the baby days

On Friday, Ian decided he was not going to be caged any longer. He climbed over his crib rail twice and was on his way to a third time when Roger walked in the door. We could not (in good conscience) leave him in there any more. So at bedtime on Friday night, we removed the crib rail & put him to bed in his converted crib. He was a little resistant to sleeping with this new-found freedom, but After a few minutes of him going bananas in his room, I went in and laid him down and laid my head down on his pillow. He was a sleep in a minute or so.

Saturday morning, we finished the conversion to a big boy room by taking the crib out entirely and putting his toddler bed (that we've had in the room since November) into the crib's place. We also removed the changing table since he liked to climb it and put his stereo up onto the dresser.

There are no more remnants of the nursery. The only thing that is "original" to the time we created the nursery is the dresser & lamp. Everything else is different.

*sigh*

It's a little sad to know that THE nursery is gone. Aaron has his crib in the other room still so I guess there is still "technically" a nursery, but it just isn't the same. We didn't have the "luxury" of carefully choosing the wall colors, theme, bedding, etc. for Aaron's room. We just didn't have time or the opportunity. Someday we WILL make a room specifically for Aaron, but a nursery it will not be.

Anyway, Ian likes his new room. He really hasn't had much additional difficulty going to sleep in there. He is still a very "stubborn" sleeper and still has to cry about going to sleep, but for nap and bedtime yesterday, he has ultimately gotten in his bed and gone to sleep.

And now, instead of worrying he'll climb over the rail while fighting about sleep, I listen for the thud of him rolling out of bed.

Transitions. (They never seem to go easily in these parts.)

A Camping Trip

We went camping this weekend, but Ian's refusal to go to sleep in our tent caused it to be a disaster. We ended up leaving our tent, fly, & chairs and coming home at 1:00am. We returned Saturday morning, broke camp, and spent the day there hiking, swimming in the lake, and cooking our dinner on the campfire.

A lesson learned. Ian is not ready to spend the night in a tent. We'll try again another time.

Playing in the Fountain

Zoo Trip

Ian, Aaron & I met some friends at the zoo the other day. It was really crowded and REALLY hot. Ian enjoyed meeting the tiger shark & the soak zone the best--

Oh yes, and you can see his new haircut. A little shorter than we were expecting, but we're getting used to it.

Who Spiked the Bug Juice?

Yesterday, Ian, Aaron, & I hopped over to Munhall, PA (Should only be about 20 min to get there, but because of all the stupid construction-induced traffic jams it took us 45 min) for a playdate. We met the host & other attendees through our 30 Somethings Moms of Pittsburgh www.meetup.com group. They were gracious enough to let me in the group even though I'm 27. And you better believe they DID ask how old I was! Anyway, it was "Beach" themed playdate and there was a lot of water splashing and sand. So you can be sure that Ian had a great time. This kid was MADE for summer play. He LOVES getting wet and playing in water more than anything else. I think the past week I've been changing his clothes about 4 times per day.

ANYWAY... All this to introduce the following picture, "Who Spiked the Bug Juice?"

A new picture of Aaron will be over on the4thvandervort.wordpress.com, too.

We're not potty training yet, but...

It's exciting when things like this happen ;-)

Ian's Playground Party

Our friend Amy Griffin takes really, really nice photos of our kiddos. Today Ian finally got to celebrate his birthday with his friends from playgroup. We had a good time, despite the humidity & threatening thunderstorms.

2009 March For Babies!

Team Vandervorts raised $245!

Since Roger was in Germany, Grandma Marilyn volunteered to walk with me. Grandpa Bob was there too, cheering us on.

It was a fun time. The weather was humid & overcast, but it didn't rain...and we didn't have to worry about sunscreen.

Healthy as a Horse!

Ian had his 2 year well visit today and with the exception of rampant eczema on his legs and a few spots on his belly, he's a "perfect boy!"

He is:
26.5 pounds (45th percentile)
35 inches tall (50th percentile)
49.5 cm head circumference (75th) <--Doc said, "has a lot of brains in there!"

Fully vaccinated except needs to get his last Hep A shot, but they were out today so he'll get it when Aaron goes back in 3 months.

His ear tubes look "beautiful" and his mental/emotional/social development is on-target. (Physical development is way ahead of the "norm.") The doc was impressed with Ian's rendition of the Blue's Clues songs (words & motions/dancing) and laughed out loud when Ian said, "bye, love you, see you later!"

He does not have another well visit until he is THREE!

Had new Tubes Put in Today

We were really worried about Ian's 1:30pm arrival time today for his ear surgery. He wasn't allowed any solids after 12am and only clear fluids until 11:30am. (Then nothing.) For those of you who really know Ian, you know he LOVES to eat. He eats pretty much all day long every day. And I don't think he's ever missed his morning and naptime cup of milk. Plus 1:30 is prime nap time so we were just very fearful that today was going to be a disaster.

In true Ian form, he put on his game face and was an angel.

He did fine. No MAJOR meltdowns. We left here around 10 and drove over to near the surgery center & went to the mall (Ross Park). They have a nice play area & he played for like 45 min before starting to notice all the other kids'sippys & stuff. We promptly loaded him up and took him to build a bear, where he ran around & looked at everything, but asked to go without making one! (I was fully prepared to let him.)

We got to the center about a half hour early and then Ian had to WAIT forever in their holding pen (aka play area). He was pretty good despite being SO hungry & thirsty, and missing his nap.

He went back at 3:05 and they came to take me to him in recovery at 3:25. He was up and started crying because he was so happy I was coming to get him. He hoovered 8 oz of gatorade in recovery, they discharged us, and he cried again when he saw daddy.

We ate at Olive Garden (Ian ate a LOT of his side of spaghetti) and drank his milk...now we're home....no worse for the wear. Tired & glad it is over...

Funny Ian-ism: He insisted (by screaming and yelling) that we remove his shirt so he could eat his spaghetti. We almost always take his shirt off for spaghetti at home so he doesn't get it all messed up... I never dreamed he would start insisting we do that at restaurants! What a funny boy!

now to start preparing our hearts and minds for Aaron's much more invasive & difficult surgery in 3 weeks.

Happy Birthday! Ian is TWO!

It has been a heck of a week... 2 times to the doctor's office, 1 time to the ER, 2 kids with Ear infections, one (Aaron) now on a nebulizer and lung steroids, everybody with colds, one kid with a stomach bug, etc....

But it won't keep us from celebrating the birth of our first son!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IAN!

The first of many pictures: Cake for breakfast!

Happy Easter? Not really looking to be that way around here.

Well, yes, in the respect that Christ died & rose for us. There is a reason to celebrate. And it IS our 6th wedding Anniversary tomorrow, too.

BUT...

Here I am again reporting the kids are sick & we would ask for some prayer.

Ian & Aaron are really sick. Ian started on Monday with what appeared to be a cold. It turned into a REALLY BAD cold on Wednesday. Now Aaron has it. Ian started puking & pooping yesterday. Aaron is wheezing & having a hard time breathing, which in turn means he's having a hard time nursing, sleeping, etc.

Today I finally got freaked out enough to call the pediatrician and they asked us to bring him right in to be listened to. (Thank the LORD for Saturday hours so we didn't have to risk measles exposure to go to the ER)

Aaron did a nebulizer albuterol treatment in the office & now we have one at home. He also has an ear infection & got antibiotics for that. (Great...Ian was 6 months when he started with his EIs)

Ian has an EI starting too... UGH!

This S#!& is Banana. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. (to quote Gwen Stefani.)

PLEASE, LORD, deliver us from this Cold & flu season and make our boys healthy. I know we are so blessed to HAVE sons to get sick, but I am SO tired of this. (Tired in general...)

Happy Easter, everyone. Enjoy it for us.

Terrible "almost" Two?

What do you think?

Have you looked at our Side Bar?

On May 9th, the Vandervorts are walking as a family for a very important cause. We'd love it if you could do one (or both) of the following:

1. Walk with Us!
2. Sponsor Us!

Just click on the picture of Ian & Aaron to find out more! I designed a t-shirt, too, if you are going to walk & want to get a shirt, just let me know!

Thanks So Much!

Words!

I decided I should probably record Ian’s words as we take the last few steps toward the close of his 2nd year. I am going to revisit this list for a few days as I remember & hear more of them.

He has been saying for a long time:
• Mommy
• Daddy
• Papa
• Bye
• “see you later”
• “love you”
• “I did it”
• “Oh! A Clue!”
• Shoe
• Sock
• Night night
• Toot toot
• Cheese
• Ball
• Apple
• banana
• “Give Me”

New Additions:
• Sky
• Cloud
• Bird
• Isaac
• Asher
• Anthony
• Please
• Thank You
• Hot
• Cold
• Water
• Car
• Cat
• Meow
• Hot dog
• Moo
• Milk

Edited to add:
Grandma
Rain
Yes
No
Spoon
Bread
Go

Added 4/8/09
Have Lunch
Pants
Cup
Play
Hand
Toe
Nose
Eat
Fish
Nemo
Snow
Help
Bath
Poop
Pee

While I'm at it...

I might as well tick off the anti-vaccination crowd, too...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacob-dickerman/vaccine-denial-scientific_b_180026.html

Well said, my friend, too bad the folks who should be reading this are mostly likely not.

Ok, I have to get this off my chest

***WARNING****
What I'm about to say might be taken as very offensive to formula feeding. It isn't, really, but it could be read that way. If you're going to hate me forever for saying it, please don't read on.


I know that I don't have a completely homogeneous group of baby-feeders who read this blog. You have to trust me that I really do support my friends' decisions on how to feed their children. It is a personal choice and I'm down with that.

Seriously, though, this Atlantic article, "The Case Against Breastfeeding"
is really getting to me!

I get that there may not be many immediately recognizable health benefits, but how many studies have followed people birth to death? How can giving your kid hydrogenated oils and cow's milk products possibly be the same as giving your child the fluid the Lord put in your breasts to nourish his creation? How can ANYONE claim that?

I'm very glad that there is an option if, in fact, you can't breastfeed. If your lifestyle or health prevents you from doing so, I'm glad there is another way. But please, OH PLEASE, do not try to tell me that formula is the same as breastmilk. My sacrifice for the last 2 years is my time, my mobility, my modesty... it is all gone because I chose to give my child the VERY BEST nourishment. Do you think that if formula was the same as breastmilk there would be ANYBODY still breastfeeding? How offensive to a breastfeeding mother's sacrifice to tell us it was all for naught! And that's just on the health benefits aspect. Then there's the bonding, the nurturing, the comforting...I bet you can't find one breastfeeding mother who doesn't absolutely adore that she is the utmost in her baby's life. Nobody comforts like mama. NOTHING is as calming, healing, and beautiful as mommy's breasts. Just ask Aaron--he's snuggled up right now, rosy-cheeked, falling asleep for the night. I've never seen a child sleep more peacefully than snuzzled up to his mother's bare breast. If you have, I'd really be surprised. I love that for my babies, mommy is tops. It's my right to be number one. And I'm glad I have given each boy the opportunity to receive "liquid gold" from a soft, warm breast instead of a cold, rubber bottle.

I'm so sick of this article. I hope it dies down soon. It crushes me. It makes me so sad. And the fact that so many people have latched on to this article and are waving it like a flag of glory is... annoying.

Oh--one more thing: If you need help breastfeeding, please, just ask. I'd travel great distances to help you. It means THATmuch to me.