Friday, March 26, 2010

Bath Routine is evolving...

So the bath routine that used to consist of me holding a little tiny guy on a whale shaped sponge has changed to the big boy bath tub where Little M stands outside the tub naked and puts in all the toys, one at a time, that he wants in the tub.

Then he plays with the toys and the water coming out of the spout until he's had his hair shampooed and Mommy turns the water off. Then he plays some more, and when Mommy gets the all done sign, she starts draining the water and Little M has that to play with.

He then takes out each of the toys, one at a time, until he's left alone in the tub, then he decides whether he wants to get out or not, and if he does, he lets Mommy pick him up wrapped in a towel and we go to the bedroom for the after bath routine. If he doesn't, he still gets picked up, he just does it LOUDLY.

The bedtime routine consists now of distract, distract, distract, while Mommy diapers, combs hair, and gets pajamas on. Then he gets to decide what books he wants to read and whether he wants to nurse before bed. Then he goes in bed, with his 4 toys. I adjust the humidifier and go back for one last kiss, then it's out of the room and I listen for him to drop off to sleep.

Except for the occasional middle of the night feeding, nighttime has been very peaceful lately. He's a wonderful baby, and getting to be a wonderful little boy.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Only Kitty Time

So our first cat was an only kitty for about a year when I first got him back in 1997. He was five weeks old, and chewed on every craft project I was trying to make ("Oh, that yarn is for me to play with, right?" "No, that's going to be a stocking, and I'm pretty sure they won't want kitty spit as part of the pattern"). He also didn't know how to work his claws very well, and my thighs had scratches covering them by the time he was six months old. So I got him declawed and the first time he tried to climb up the back of my recliner he was sorely disappointed in the lack of traction! I shouldn't have laughed, but I did.

Anyway, cut to 13 years later, and three kitties (minus one, RIP Annie) later, and he is just the old guy in the bunch. He is still wondering when this new human pet is going to leave and he'll get his mommy back. I haven't broken the bad news to him that LittleM is staying. But every night at 5:30pm when his automatic feeder magically produces dinner, I chase the two little kitties down to the basement where their dinner is waiting. Then LittleM and I got through the bedtime routine (climb the stairs, shake the naked booty, bath time, story time, then bed) and then.....

It's ONLY KITTY TIME! I go downstairs to just BigN and it's like he's the only kitty in the house again. How he loves Only Kitty Time. I still have to fake being on the phone (unless I'm actually on the phone) to get him to jump in my lap so I can pet him. For whatever reason it has to be his idea if he's going to get in my lap. Tonight I held the TV remote to my ear and talked for about 30 seconds before he jumped up. At least he has standards, though! Then I pet him, rub his ears, get him purring and he ends up falling asleep on my lap until I so much as move a micrometer with any muscle in my body. Then he jumps down ("I did not authorize the movement, how dare you!") and make himself comfortable on the love seat. And I only get one chance a night to have him grace my lap with his wonderfulness. After that he's just not that into me.

But I get to snuggle with my first feline baby for a few precious moments every day, and while it doesn't compare to snuggling with my LittleM, it does leave a warm kitty footprint on my heart.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Admitting my addictions is the first step to curing them...

OK, so there was a time, while I was nursing LittleM before he was on any solid food, that I had to wait anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to make sure he was really down before I could go to sleep at night.

So since it was summer, and there wasn't much on from 6- 8pm, I started watching Disney shows. Like Hannah Montana, Jonas, Sonny With a Chance, Wizards of Waverly Place, and Suite Life with Zack and Cody. I'm not exactly proud of this, but just slightly less embarrassed than if I'd been caught watching the Jersey Shore (which I don't, by the way).

Yes, I'm aware these shows are made for kids, or at least teens, but I was desperate, and now I'm addicted! They have good plots, cute storylines, the humor is well-timed, they're well written, I just can't help myself! I think it may have to do with my mind still thinking I'm 21 or so even though my body knows otherwise.

Oh well, they're all coming back with new episodes this week, so until I go back to work and have a good excuse for limiting my TV time other than "to slow the rotting of your brain!", then I'll be watching! But I will not be buying any Pancake Puff pans during the commercials. A girl has to have her standards!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Where is all the fun stuff for kids?

So now that LittleM is of the walking persuasion, I need to find places where I can take a 16 month old where he can see fun stuff, and try new things, without scaring the crap out of him so that he never wants to leave Mommy's side! Which is sort of where we are now.

I keep trying to take him places, like the Roll and Stroll in Bealeton, but it was cancelled. And we went to the park at the beginning of the week, but our nap schedule got off, and then it started to rain. So I'm thinking the next sunny day we might just venture into someplace where there's a farm that will give kids tours, so he can at least see the animals that are on all his videos. It's the least I can do to further his education before I have to hand him over to the daycare people who will fill his head with who knows what? I'm just kidding, I'm sure he'll be fine and learn plenty of new and valuable stuff.

But when MY mother, who's a teacher, says that I should be thinking about private school for LittleM, then I start to worry about the public schools around here! And then we're right back to WHEN DO I GET TO START WORK??????? Stupid red tape!

I just want to go back and get started with this next part of my life! Being in limbo is very frustrating, I can tell why the Catholics hate it so much as part of the whole afterlife thing.