As a mom, it is easy sometimes to let oneself feel unappreciated and overlooked. The past few days I have been feeling this as Eddie has taken a liking to looking through our photo albums. He will point out "Dada" on every page and will even point out "Papa," which is his Grandpa Andrews. I keep trying to get him to point me out. I'll say, "Where is Mama?" or "Who is this?" and he will either point at someone else or ignore my questions altogether. So I was feeling a little bummed out, thinking that Eddie takes me for granted. Then yesterday evening, he flipped open an album to a photo of me, pointed, and said, "Mama." It helped me realize how grateful I am to be a mom... even if Eddie doesn't yet know how to show his full appreciation. I really love being a mom and here are my top 10 reasons why:
10. Having a very good reason for not working full-time.
9. Having my patience tried every single day, but knowing I wouldn't want it any other way.
8. Feeling a sense of accomplishment when Eddie learns something new.
7. Having no choice but to agree when people tell me I have an extremely cute son.
6. Holding conversations with Eddie in jabber language.
5. Reading stories with Eddie and seeing how smart he is.
4. Making Eddie laugh so hard that he gets the hiccups, but still doesn't want to stop laughing.
3. Seeing Eddie do things that remind me so much of myself that I just have to laugh.
2. Snuggling in the rocking chair and singing songs when Eddie will allow it.
1. Hearing Eddie say, "mama" and knowing that he appreciates me in his own little way.
8.24.2009
8.18.2009
Eddie's Therapy
Eddie had another therapy session this afternoon. In just the past two weeks, Eddie has gone from a boy who could stumble 5 steps to a boy who can walk back and forth across the room. Walking is his new favorite thing. If I ever want him to stop whining, I take his hands and say, "let's walk" and he takes off across the room chanting "dada, dada."
We are supposed to be putting his shoes on him every day, but I am bad at being consistent. However, I have found that he is much more stable when he wears his shoes. Because of Eddie's foot situation, we have discussed getting shoe inserts for him. We have hesitated to get them before now because they are $25 per foot and we have been hoping Eddie's ankles would strengthen as he learned to walk. They have improved, but aren't quite normal yet -- with his left foot being substantially worse than his right.
While Julie was here today, she pulled out the sample insert that she carries with her to show parents what they are. It just happened to be a left foot insert that is very close to the right size for Eddie's foot. So she let us borrow it for the next month. That means I have to be diligent about putting Eddie's shoes on him.
Since he is quickly outgrowing his current shoes, Eddie and I went shoe shopping after Julie left. Eddie is now the proud owner of some stylish new Converse All-Stars.
We are hoping that by the end of September, Eddie's feet will have improved enough that he will be able to test out of physical therapy. Once they determine that he is caught up in all five developmental areas, then he won't have to have therapy any more. We aren't too concerned about the other areas besides gross motor skills. He is good enough with his fine motor skills to catch the tiny black ants invading our house. He is becoming quite the jabber-box lately as well. More details on that will come in a future post.
We are supposed to be putting his shoes on him every day, but I am bad at being consistent. However, I have found that he is much more stable when he wears his shoes. Because of Eddie's foot situation, we have discussed getting shoe inserts for him. We have hesitated to get them before now because they are $25 per foot and we have been hoping Eddie's ankles would strengthen as he learned to walk. They have improved, but aren't quite normal yet -- with his left foot being substantially worse than his right.
While Julie was here today, she pulled out the sample insert that she carries with her to show parents what they are. It just happened to be a left foot insert that is very close to the right size for Eddie's foot. So she let us borrow it for the next month. That means I have to be diligent about putting Eddie's shoes on him.
Since he is quickly outgrowing his current shoes, Eddie and I went shoe shopping after Julie left. Eddie is now the proud owner of some stylish new Converse All-Stars.
(Not Eddie's actual shoe)
We are hoping that by the end of September, Eddie's feet will have improved enough that he will be able to test out of physical therapy. Once they determine that he is caught up in all five developmental areas, then he won't have to have therapy any more. We aren't too concerned about the other areas besides gross motor skills. He is good enough with his fine motor skills to catch the tiny black ants invading our house. He is becoming quite the jabber-box lately as well. More details on that will come in a future post.
8.13.2009
Cousin's Day
The Barton mommies do their best to gather all the cousins together occasionally for "Cousin's Day." Yesterday was one such occasion. We gathered at Cheryl's to tie-dye shirts for the upcoming Bear Lake trip. Then we had a pizza lunch and headed to Old Farm Park in Riverton, which is a splash park.
I had heard about these splash parks (there is a similar one in Herriman), but had never been to one before. It turned out to be a lot of fun and I was a little sad that I didn't wear my swimming suit, so I didn't get the full experience. The great thing about the splash park is that there is no standing water more than an inch deep. The ground is perforated, so all the water showering down from above drains away. Since I didn't have to worry about Eddie wandering to the deep end and drowning himself, I felt more comfortable letting him roam. Of course, Eddie didn't feel too comfortable roaming alone, so I ended up following him around. At first, he didn't like it at all. For some reason, he doesn't like it when water comes at him from above. But soon, he got used to the cold water and figured out that he could get close to things without getting showered.
This was one of his favorite features. He sat down a couple of feet from it and slowly inched his way over. Eventually he ended up right underneath it, trying to get the water in his mouth.
Here is a photo of the whole group, minus Christie and Grandma Barton, who were both trying to get a photo with everyone in it and everyone looking. As you can see, they weren't entirely successful. If you zoom in, you can see that Eddie is turning blue. The water was really cold and Eddie wanted nothing to do with it after about 20 minutes because he was too busy shivering.
I had heard about these splash parks (there is a similar one in Herriman), but had never been to one before. It turned out to be a lot of fun and I was a little sad that I didn't wear my swimming suit, so I didn't get the full experience. The great thing about the splash park is that there is no standing water more than an inch deep. The ground is perforated, so all the water showering down from above drains away. Since I didn't have to worry about Eddie wandering to the deep end and drowning himself, I felt more comfortable letting him roam. Of course, Eddie didn't feel too comfortable roaming alone, so I ended up following him around. At first, he didn't like it at all. For some reason, he doesn't like it when water comes at him from above. But soon, he got used to the cold water and figured out that he could get close to things without getting showered.
This was one of his favorite features. He sat down a couple of feet from it and slowly inched his way over. Eventually he ended up right underneath it, trying to get the water in his mouth.
Here is a photo of the whole group, minus Christie and Grandma Barton, who were both trying to get a photo with everyone in it and everyone looking. As you can see, they weren't entirely successful. If you zoom in, you can see that Eddie is turning blue. The water was really cold and Eddie wanted nothing to do with it after about 20 minutes because he was too busy shivering.
8.11.2009
You Don't Win Friends With Salad
Every parent quickly comes to the realization that feeding a toddler is hit and miss. While that can be taken quite literally, I mean it in the figurative sense. Ever since Eddie stopped nursing and got teeth, we've been trying to expand his diet to include, well, everything. Every parent also quickly comes to the realization that cooperation is not a toddler's strong suit. Perhaps it is due to my lack of creativity in thinking up meal ideas for Eddie, but it seems that he eats the same three things over and over again: macaroni and cheese, quesadillas, and peanut butter sandwiches. These items are, of course, supplemented with yogurt, grapes, pureed vegetables, pickles, the occasional nibble of corn on the cob, and lots of crackers.
Despite our best efforts, Eddie seems to have been born a vegetarian. The only "meat" that I have successfully gotten him to eat willingly is the Gerber 2nd Food Apples and Chicken puree. As you may imagine, the stuff is disgusting. It is brown and runny and does not resemble chicken in the slightest. Eddie loved it. We have tried giving him hot dogs, chicken nuggets, grilled chicken, steak, deli meat, pork roast, bacon, etc, etc. Sometimes he will eat one piece before carefully moving all the other pieces from his tray to the floor. Sometimes he will put one piece in his mouth, taste it, then extract it and place it on the floor. Most of the time, he won't even try it. We try to trick him by hiding meat pieces in other things that he likes. He is too smart for us and rarely falls for it. If he does accidentally get a piece in his mouth, it is quickly ejected.
As life-long carnivores, Dave and I are not really sure how to handle this. Do we need to be worried about stunting Eddie's growth because he's not getting any protein? Do we need to make him eat tofu and beans? Do we need to puree all sorts of meats and add them to his yogurt and macaroni? Perhaps we just need to explain the food chain to him and then he'll get it.
Despite our best efforts, Eddie seems to have been born a vegetarian. The only "meat" that I have successfully gotten him to eat willingly is the Gerber 2nd Food Apples and Chicken puree. As you may imagine, the stuff is disgusting. It is brown and runny and does not resemble chicken in the slightest. Eddie loved it. We have tried giving him hot dogs, chicken nuggets, grilled chicken, steak, deli meat, pork roast, bacon, etc, etc. Sometimes he will eat one piece before carefully moving all the other pieces from his tray to the floor. Sometimes he will put one piece in his mouth, taste it, then extract it and place it on the floor. Most of the time, he won't even try it. We try to trick him by hiding meat pieces in other things that he likes. He is too smart for us and rarely falls for it. If he does accidentally get a piece in his mouth, it is quickly ejected.
As life-long carnivores, Dave and I are not really sure how to handle this. Do we need to be worried about stunting Eddie's growth because he's not getting any protein? Do we need to make him eat tofu and beans? Do we need to puree all sorts of meats and add them to his yogurt and macaroni? Perhaps we just need to explain the food chain to him and then he'll get it.
8.06.2009
15 Months Old
It's official: Eddie is growing up too fast. I took him in for his 15 month check-up today and felt like a veteran mom -- no questions, no concerns. I know the drill. Eddie, however, seems to have forgotten the drill. He was angry when I laid him down to remove his pants. He was angrier when I laid him back down so they could measure his height. He was absolutely livid when I laid him down to get his shots. But, between all these bursts of rage, he was incredibly happy to be there. He explored every inch of the filthy floor and opened all the drawers and found the best toy ever -- the doctor's stool. There he stood, spinning it for a good two minutes straight before the doctor came in to check him out. Then I had to remove him so that she could sit down.
Apparently he is healthy, which is a good thing. He's only grown one inch since his last visit, which surprised me. I thought he was getting tall. He must just be getting more spry and that is why he can suddenly climb on top of the coffee table where he was too short to before. He also hasn't gained much weight and is only in the 12th percentile! I had to ask her to repeat that (mostly because Eddie was busy yelling at the cupboards, but partly because I couldn't believe it).
In other news, Eddie had physical therapy again on Tuesday. Julie was very excited that Eddie has decided to take some steps on his own. We don't even have any new exercises to work on; we just have to practice walking. I am glad about that. It makes me feel like maybe we're almost done with physical therapy. We will be done once Eddie is walking well and we see what happens with his feet/ankles.
All in all, Eddie is doing great!
Apparently he is healthy, which is a good thing. He's only grown one inch since his last visit, which surprised me. I thought he was getting tall. He must just be getting more spry and that is why he can suddenly climb on top of the coffee table where he was too short to before. He also hasn't gained much weight and is only in the 12th percentile! I had to ask her to repeat that (mostly because Eddie was busy yelling at the cupboards, but partly because I couldn't believe it).
In other news, Eddie had physical therapy again on Tuesday. Julie was very excited that Eddie has decided to take some steps on his own. We don't even have any new exercises to work on; we just have to practice walking. I am glad about that. It makes me feel like maybe we're almost done with physical therapy. We will be done once Eddie is walking well and we see what happens with his feet/ankles.
All in all, Eddie is doing great!
Eddie enjoying the garbage cans at Cove Fort last week
8.05.2009
Pool Pals
Eddie and his cousins went for a dip in Grandma Andrews' inflatable pool on Saturday afternoon. Of course I was at poolside with camera in hand.
Being cute comes so easy, doesn't it Ed?
Riley, always a cheeser.
Dax, the human water feature.
Being cute comes so easy, doesn't it Ed?
Riley, always a cheeser.
Dax, the human water feature.7.26.2009
Walk This Way
As you loyal readers already know, we have been working hard to get Ed caught up on his gross motor skills and have been doing pretty well so far. Eddie has recently learned that walking can be fun... as long as it's not too scary. So he has concentrated mainly on pushing things around, like the neighbor's toy...
He has spent the past few days pushing our umbrella stroller back and forth from the kitchen to the living room. Then he'll run into an obstacle, we'll turn him around, and he'll go back until he runs into something else. As you saw in the video, he's not too good at steering.
Today Eddie and I were playing with his big ball (pictured below) and I got him to stand up facing me with the ball between us. Then, by accident, the ball escaped and Eddie was left standing there, not holding onto anything. When he realized this, he lunged toward me, inadvertently taking his first step. Since Dave didn't see, I decided to try an re-enactment. The second time, I took the ball out on purpose and Eddie stood there looking at me for a minute, then took two very graceful steps forward.
He has spent the past few days pushing our umbrella stroller back and forth from the kitchen to the living room. Then he'll run into an obstacle, we'll turn him around, and he'll go back until he runs into something else. As you saw in the video, he's not too good at steering.
Today Eddie and I were playing with his big ball (pictured below) and I got him to stand up facing me with the ball between us. Then, by accident, the ball escaped and Eddie was left standing there, not holding onto anything. When he realized this, he lunged toward me, inadvertently taking his first step. Since Dave didn't see, I decided to try an re-enactment. The second time, I took the ball out on purpose and Eddie stood there looking at me for a minute, then took two very graceful steps forward.
7.21.2009
Spagh-Eddie
Here is a picture of Eddie after enjoying a spaghetti dinner the other night. I refer to him as Eddie-Spaghetti-Beard. By the time he was done and about to get in the bath, he had noodles hanging from his hair and embedded in all his crevices.
Eddie's Therapy
Today I heard something scary... Eddie could be walking within the next month! I suppose I'll believe it when I see it, but Julie sure can make him do amazing things. We spent today's therapy session working on getting him to walk forward (with help, of course). He can walk quite well while he has something in front of him, like a push-toy, a box, or even a big ball. But when you try to get him to walk by just holding his hands, he bends his knees and won't even try. Clearly this is a confidence issue, as so many other problems have been.
For the next two weeks, we get to work on having him walk from one of us to the other. We also get to work on strengthening his trunk by balancing him on his big ball and tilting him different directions. It's a lot like pilates for babies. Sorry there is no photo of this... Dave wouldn't let me take a picture of he and Eddie doing pilates together.
Eddie's Therapy
Today I heard something scary... Eddie could be walking within the next month! I suppose I'll believe it when I see it, but Julie sure can make him do amazing things. We spent today's therapy session working on getting him to walk forward (with help, of course). He can walk quite well while he has something in front of him, like a push-toy, a box, or even a big ball. But when you try to get him to walk by just holding his hands, he bends his knees and won't even try. Clearly this is a confidence issue, as so many other problems have been.
For the next two weeks, we get to work on having him walk from one of us to the other. We also get to work on strengthening his trunk by balancing him on his big ball and tilting him different directions. It's a lot like pilates for babies. Sorry there is no photo of this... Dave wouldn't let me take a picture of he and Eddie doing pilates together.
7.15.2009
Batswing
What can we say, we love posting photos of Eddie swinging. A few more can't hurt right?
The Caped Crusader.
Why so serious?
Who says I never post photos of myself on our blogs?7.11.2009
Butter Ball
Flashback to 3 years ago. We had gone over at my sister Christie's house for dinner one Sunday evening. Afterwards, we were hanging out down in the basement when someone noticed that Josh, who was about Eddie's age at the time, had gone missing. Christie went upstairs and found him on the kitchen counter eating a stick of butter that he had skewered on a knife like a popsicle. That was the day we taught him to say the word "obese."
Flash forward to earlier this afternoon at the grocery store. We frequently give Eddie various items from our cart for him to play with as a way to keep him entertained while we are shopping. I had given him the bread, but he was squashing it, so Kristen swapped him for a seemingly harmless box of butter sticks. We soon got distracted with the rest of our shopping. A few minutes had passed when Kristen noticed Eddie and exclaimed "he's eating the butter!"
Yup, he had gnawed his way through the outer box, the paper wrapping, and well into the creamy center of one of the butter sticks. I guess we need to start working on the word "obese."
Flash forward to earlier this afternoon at the grocery store. We frequently give Eddie various items from our cart for him to play with as a way to keep him entertained while we are shopping. I had given him the bread, but he was squashing it, so Kristen swapped him for a seemingly harmless box of butter sticks. We soon got distracted with the rest of our shopping. A few minutes had passed when Kristen noticed Eddie and exclaimed "he's eating the butter!"
Yup, he had gnawed his way through the outer box, the paper wrapping, and well into the creamy center of one of the butter sticks. I guess we need to start working on the word "obese."
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