It's My Potty...

Exciting news in the Beynon house! After months, and I mean months, of ZERO interest in potty training, Alex has now decided to "get the hang of it." (His words not mine!) Tuesday he came home from school and put on his Spider-man undies and that was that! In just a few short days, he has gone from needing me in there reading to him to needing "privacy." And his "wee-wee" is now a "wiener." We have had a few minor setbacks: "Momma, my legs are all wet." "Momma, it just came out!" But other than that he is officially a BIG BOY!

5 Months Old

Dear Isabella,

It was 5 months ago today that you came into this world. And I know I say this every month, but where has the time gone? I feel like every time I go to get you out of your crib, you are bigger and your smile is brighter.

That smile of yours is the most beautiful thing in the world. Your eyes, which are still as blue as can be, smile right along with that cute little bow of a mouth. The phrase "Happy Baby" is used to describe you all the time!

Everyone always comments on your blue eyes and fair skin. Your Nana and your Pop both have blue eyes, so that is where you get yours. I wonder if they will stay blue? I am guessing the fair skin must have come from your Grandma John and your "Great-Aunt" Kathy. It certainly didn't come from Momma. Your skin is so sensitive too. You get rashes and eczema all the time and even had hives this month. When I give you a bath, I put baby oil on you and you are so slippery to hold, but it seems to help!

This month you tried rice cereal for the first time. You like to take the spoon away from me and put it in your own mouth. You also tried formula - but that is when you broke out in hives. We hope you are not allergic. We have to wait a few weeks to try it again.

We have been working on napping and sleeping in your crib. You were sleeping through the night, but then you started waking up every few hours. I think that had to do with having a cold and a cough. You seem to be feeling better, so hopefully you will start sleeping longer at night again.

We get such a kick out of watching you reach for things now. You love to reach your little hands out to your toys, to our faces, and especially to Alex's hair. Sometimes you grab onto it, but he doesn't even mind. You can do no wrong in his eyes...yet (ha ha).

You are our little doll. I say "our" because if I ever call you "mine," Alex always corrects me. He says you are "Our Baby." And he is right. You not only fill my heart with the joy of being able to watch you learn and grow, but you are the most important thing in the world to your daddy and brother too!

Love You Sweet Cheeks - Momma

Alex-isms 3

Today my Alex-isms are in categories.

Bathroom Business (or Not)

• Alex refuses to go to the bathroom on the potty. I accidently on purpose ran out of diapers. We tried going right to underwear, but he peed right through them and his pants, socks, shirt, and onto his chair. So, he is wearing pull-ups, which he claims hold a little bit of pee and poop. He says he will go on the potty when he is a big boy. He says that right now he is a small boy. And every time I say he is a big boy, he responds, "No, I am'nt. I am just a small boy." When I ask him when he will be a big boy he says, "In a couple of days..." He has been saying that for weeks.
• The other day I took him to the doctor because he had a rash on his face. When we told him that he couldn't kiss Isabella he said, "But it is just so hard not to kiss her." Doctor V. said he could kiss her when the rash on his face went away. He said, "I only get rashes on my butt when I poop in my diaper and it is in there the whole day!" He sure has a knack for turning my words around - What I say to him when he doesn't want his diaper changed is, "If you sit in your poop all day, you will get a rash." He also told Dr. V. that I fell down the steps holding Isabella. I quickly added that it was only the last few steps and I didn't drop her! Hopefully there won't be a knock at my door from Social Services.
• When I told Alex that if he went on the potty, I would be so proud, he said, "Yea. That's the spirit!"

Meany!

• When Alex says something mean, I always pretend I didn't hear him. I say, "I didn't hear you. I hope you didn't say something mean." His response? "I was just talking."
• Or sometimes instead of saying the mean word (usually stinky or stupid), he will say, "You are a uhh. uhh."
• But my favorite was the other day. I was bouncing him on my lap. He said to me, "Stop doing that. It makes me want to say a mean word." Well excuse me!

How Old Are You?

(Or as my sister says, "Not a Normal Three-Year Old")

• We were heading home last Friday after being out all morning. I told him that my friend was coming over with her baby. Alex didn't seem too thrilled. I told him that Bryson was Isabella's friend so he could play in his playroom while they were over. He said, "Good. I really need some alone time."
• When the wind blows he says, "The wind in my ears makes me crazy."

Happy Birthday, Finley Clark

Today, my niece Finley was born. She is adorable and has the chubbiest little cheeks. She is the 4th little girl to be born into the family in 2 years. Alex is the only boy surrounded by all girls. Poor guy. Jay thinks Alex is so lucky, because he will get to date all of his sister's and cousins' friends someday. When I met Jay, the boys outnumbered the girls, but not anymore....Within 7 years, two daughter-in-laws and 4 granddaughters have joined the family.

So, in the words of the Pink Ladies in Grease 2, "The Pink Lady pledge is to act cool,to look cool and to be cool, till death do us part. Think Pink!!" I think it should be the new family motto. Don't you?

Alex-isms 2

Here is another installment of the funny things Alex says!

• Alex put on his sunglasses the other day and said, "Lookin' goooood."
• I asked Alex who made him so cute. He replied, "I did it myself." Later, I asked him again and he said, "Daddy." Then I asked him who made him so weird. He replied, "You."
• Alex had his first bout of the stomach flu. After he threw up for the 3rd time he said, "I am broken." And after the 7th, he said, "I am messed up!" After the 10th, he didn't have anything to say!
• Today we went to the Baltimore Aquarium. (Note: NO STROLLERS allowed - wish we would have known this little fact ahead of time). He said wistfully, "I wish I was a shark, so I could live in the Aquarium." Excuse us!
• Afterwards we were walking around the harbor. Alex was eating an Italian ice even though it was 40 degrees out. I asked for some, and he said, "Momma, you just drink your water. You can get a snack when we get home." He did give me a kiss which he dubbed the "Strawberry Italian Ice Kiss."

Daddy's Girl

Not only does Isabella look just like Jay, especially when she yawns (weird, but true); but she is tall like him too! Today at her four month check-up, she measured 26 inches long. She is in the 95th percentile for her height. Lord knows she doesn't get it from me! She is 13 pounds 4 ounces (50th percentile). Alex was 17 pounds 4 ounces at four months. No wonder why we called him "Meatball." Dr. V. said she is doing well. He said I could start feeding her cereal! What!?? I feel like she is still a newborn. Tonight is the first night that she is sleeping in her crib....the first night in four months that she isn't cuddled in between us. She is not taking it so well. It took an hour of crying before she fell asleep only to wake up screaming an hour and a half later. But she is back asleep now. If she only knew that this is harder on me then it is on her. Time is moving too fast...I don't think I am ready for her to be big enough to sleep in her own room. So, I am thinking that if she cries in the middle of the night, I will go and get her. I mean if she makes it half the night in her own room, that is a good start, right?

4 Months Old

Dear Isabella,

Happy New Year, Baby. You are also 4 months old today. You had a big 2008! The first four months of your life were filled with excitment. Last week, we celebrated your first Christmas. You looked on in wide-eyed wonderment...just taking it all in. Next Christmas will be a different story, I am sure! You also mastered rolling over from your belly to your back this week. Every time you do it, you look so surprised.

This month, you went from being the best sleeper in the world to a not-so-great one. You usually fall asleep for an hour around 8 or 9 and then wake up. You don't go back to sleep until 11 or 12. Your evenings tend to be your "fussy-time." But I just hold you, walk around with you, or pat your bottom until you settle down. Last night, I rang in the new year with you fast asleep on my chest. I couldn't think of a better way to start 2009.

I talk to you in sing-song voice when you are crying. It is the same thing I used to do when your brother was a baby, and for some reason it works. The words are simple but true. "It's okay, your momma's right here and it's okay. " As I was saying these words to you over and over last night, I began thinking about what 2009 holds for you. It is going to be a year of firsts for you. It is going to be the year you taste your first foods, the year you first start to crawl, the year you get your first tooth, the year you take your first step...and my resolution as your momma is to be right here for every milestone. There is no place I would rather be!

I love you,
Momma

1st Christmas

Christmas 2005

Christmas 2008

One Year Ago...

It was one year ago today that I found out I was pregnant. I took a pregnancy test as I was about to get in the shower, even though I felt for sure it was going to be negative AGAIN this month. When I got out of the shower, I held the test in my shaking hand and sure enough there was the faintest of faint lines. I was pregnant. I ran downstairs to the basement calling to Jay in a slightly hysterical tone...I showed him the test, and of course he wasn't convinced. So off to Walmart we went to buy some more. Again the lines were so faint, we almost couldn't see them. I went to the lab and had blood work done, only to be told not to go on my vacation (as I was on the plane) because they thought it was a good possibility I would miscarry. Well, I went on that vacation with my husband, my beautiful son, and our family. I had a good time, and I prayed a lot. And when I got back home, I was still pregnant. And a year later, my perfect little girl is sleeping soundly next to her daddy...and my life is complete.

Alex-isms

I am thinking I better write some of the funny things Alex says down so I don't forget them.

• Jay put salmon cream cheese on Alex's bagel. Alex took a bite and said, "Yum. I like sushi-bagels."
• When Alex is doing wants to do something he says, "Yes, I am." When he doesn't want to do something he says, "No, I am'nt."
• Today after brushing his teeth he said, "Look Momma, my teeth are sparkly-clean. Now they are ready to crunch."