Happy Halloween!

So, this isn't actually Patrick's Halloween costume, but it is super cute!

Mom's Don't Party!

As annoyed as I sometimes get with friends who invite me out to stuff at the very last minute, not leaving me time to find a sitter (i.e. make sure my mom is free and doesn't mind guarding the baby while he sleeps), I find I am thankful that at least they invite me!!!

It has happened. Someone who I have been trying to meet up with for a while now, and said they were trying to meet with me too, had a party...and did not invite me. I'm not shy, I asked why I wasn't invited...the answer?

"Well, I figured you had the baby"

Wow!
I don't know whether to be hurt that it is obvious this person really isn't trying all that hard to see me...or just shake my head because sometimes people are just really really silly. Because the truth is, I don't think she meant anything by it. But still...OUCH!

Believe it or not, I don't mind a break once in a while from unintelligible baby talk, poopy diapers, baby chasing, and being spit on, kicked, and having my face pulled off...

So, just so you know - Mom's DO like to party sometimes. And if you're having one, go ahead and invite the mom and let her decide whether she'll get a sitter and come celebrate with you, or just stay home and chill with the baby knowing that people out there somewhere really did want to hang with her...

Patrick's First Word

Patrick knows a few words now. He says "doogk" or "doht" when he wants to know what something is(not that these are really words, but they are consistent sounds). If you ask him where the "flower" "fish" "kitty" or "owl" is he will point to them, respectively (though he does sometimes get fish and flower confused). If you tell him puppies say "woof" he will sometimes say "voof" back. He says "Mama" a lot, sometimes to me.
He understands no very very well now too...

But just now, he pointed to the owl on my pajama pants and said "Owl!" He was very happy when I praised his obvious genius. Then he pointed to another owl on my pants and said "Owl!" And giggled when I told him he was the smartest boy in all the world. Then he crawled over to his bouncer, pointed to the blue owl and said "Owl!"

I think it is official! "Owl" is Patrick's first word!

Look Mom...No Hands!

Patrick just stood! He's been standing for a while now of course, holding onto things, and sometimes letting go and staying upright for a second, maybe two, before falling on his bottom. But this time, there was nothing to hold onto, and he just stood there for almost half a minute! TWICE!!!!

I can't believe it! I am so excited...
And a little bummed that there is no one to share it with...no one to delight and squeak with me and try to coax him into doing it again so I can get it on video.
So, I am sharing with the world!

Guess what world!!!!
PATRICK JUST STOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Squeak with me!!!

(And I do hope he'll do it again tomorrow so I can catch it on video)

Sea World and the 200th Post!

Yup, this is my 200th post! Wow...I sure do talk a lot. =P
But as was mentioned to me in the comments here, this blog will be one way to remember all those wonderful baby days I very much do not want to forget (Thanks MomD).

Patrick and I went to Sea World yesterday with a good friend and her two little ones. We had so much fun! I admit, quite a bit of my fun came from watching how much fun Patrick was having. =)He especially loved the Shamu show. We did the whole Halloween Spooktacular. The costumes were amazing, and I loved the pumpkin fish. Patrick got to meet The Count from Sesame Street (Ok, so I was a bit more excited about that than he was, but he like The Count too). He also discovered bubbles. At first he was very unsure, but once a few of them had popped on him, he was pretty excited about them.
He also looked adorable riding around in the giant double stroller we rented.

It was a really wonderful day! We will most definitely be going back!

Spitting

I read somewhere that you are not supposed to let your baby spit their food at you, and that you are not supposed to laugh at things they shouldn't do. I can see the wisdom in this, really I can...but I'm sorry...Patrick spitting his food out was too funny, and then him slobbering all over himself laughing because I was laughing, was even funnier.
Ok, so it is a bit messy, and yes, I suppose spitting food out can be considered gross, rude too...but come on, you're only a baby once! He'll learn soon enough that if he spits out all his food, there won't be much left to eat, not to mention his friends will probably make fun of him.
I much prefer laughing together and a few extra minutes of cleanup, to me trying to not laugh and tell him no and him crying because I said no...again...
I'd rather save no for important things, like hitting and outlet plugs...

Spitting food and laughing? Bring it on!

His Own Space

I'm trying to get Patrick to take a nap right now. Actually, I tried to take one too, but he absolutely will not nap with me in the room. So I am here at the computer, oh so sleepy, while he is finally settling down for a little nap.

It hurts my heart a little, but he really does need his own room. We will both sleep better. For naps, and through the night. I just feel like it is all going by too fast. I want to keep him with me. But it is probably time for him to have his own space...

I just wish I could keep every single memory with me, like a little photo album or a movie of the baby times...they go by so very fast...and what if this is the only chance I get to experience it all? I want to keep it with me...always...

How can it almost be a year already? How can he be almost walking? How can he go from never leaving my arms through the day and night, to being way past ready for his own room? And soon he won't be nursing anymore either.

...This is why being a mom is hard. Give me dirty diapers, temper tantrums, bumps and bruises, teething grumpies, all of it...
Watching him grow up is so beautiful, but him growing up...well...it makes me just a little sad.

Bad Mommy Confession

I remember a book I used to have read to me as a child "Sometimes Even Mom Makes Mistakes" Ain't that the truth!
I am forever thankful to my friends who have told me countless stories of their own little mistakes. Because of their honesty I am able to make my little mistakes and not feel like a completely terrible mother...at least, not for too long. So here is one of mine...

*****WARNING - If you have a weak stomach, you may not want to read this!!!****



Earlier today, Patrick was happily babbling in his car seat as my mom and I ran some errands. We were also listening to a book on tape. We stopped at Costco, but wanted to finish a particularly good chapter, and since the baby was content, we listened...
Within 2 minutes Patrick started crying, so I tossed some of his car toys to him. That kept him happy for all of 10 seconds. I couldn't reach any of the empty water bottles he had been playing with, so I grabbed the one that was up by me to hand to him. Now...as I am handing this bottle to my son I think "I should really take that label off, he'll eat it" I of course ignore this new mommy wisdom and hand him the bottle. He's happy as can be. We finish the chapter and I look back at him...munching on the label...uh oh!
I hop out of the car and try to get the piece of paper out of his mouth. He opens wide and I almost have it, then he claps his mouth shut and moves his head back and forth to escape me...suddenly he gets this odd look on his face...and then he vomits all over himself and the car seat. Oh. My. God!
My poor baby!
As I was cleaning him off and getting the goop out of the car seat (and boy was I lucky the bag was still packed for Germany - 3 burp rags AND a fresh outfit!)I thought 2 things. First, how odd that I was not at all grossed out, only feeling awful that he threw up. And second, "oh look! The label came out!"

11 Months!

How can it be!? Only 1 short little month until my teeny baby boy is 1 year old!? Ok, so he was never really actually "teeny" but he was a newborn, and soon, sooner than I ever thought possible, he will be a toddler...

He is getting about 4 teeth all at once right now. The top right is starting to show when he laughs. So cute!

He says "woof" now when we tell him that puppies say woof. It really seems like everyday brings something new. And everyday he is just so excited! He's just amazing. Have I mentioned that at all in this blog? LOL

I am starting to plan his birthday party and realizing that I just dont have a clue. I have never thrown a first birthday before...or really anything involving babies and children...yikes! I'm a bit nervous.

Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh My!

Omi wasn't sure Patrick would really get anything out of going to the zoo, since he is so young. Boy, was she mistaken! (And so pleased to be wrong too!) Patrick LOVED the zoo! I mean just absolutely loved all of it! It was so much fun =)

He said hello to every animal we saw but was especially fond of all the dear-like animals, the chickens at the kid's zoo, the turtles, and the fish. He was a bit uncertain about the bats. I think they surprised him more than anything, because when you go into the bat cave the bats can fly around and even touch you. I had too bats land on me! I was so thrilled! I love the bats and the red pandas the best, and got to see both =D
Patrick's very favorite part of the zoo though was the aquarium. We think it was the cool lighting and bright colors of the fish, as well as all the movement.

It was just so cool to watch him point and babble and laugh at the animals.

Growing Fast!

Patrick knows the words "Kitty" and "Button" in both German and English, he also knows "Turtle" in English. He says "Ja!" (though I don't think he knows what it means yet) and he of course knows "No" and "Nein" and despises it in both languages. He mimics all the time and it is too funny.

He points to things and says "Da!" and wants to touch them and know what they are. He says "mama" a lot again, though he still does not associate it with just me. This morning he started new word sounds "Fffaa" and "Vwaaa"

And now, he's getting a tooth (or two) on top!

Every day has been something new, it is amazing! Soon he will be walking and really talking. We are making bets that he'll start doing both by his first birthday. I still wonder what his first real word will be...Looks like we will see soon enough.

My little boy is growing so fast!