Is 7 o'clock too early for bed on a Saturday night?

We have had a pretty busy few weeks.  Valentine's Day, a quick visit from Grandpa Doug, and a weekend down in Leaburg with Grandpa Gerts have been the highlights.

So far we have kept holiday celebrations pretty mellow because I figure that Trey is too young and a) doesn't get it or b) won't remember, so why bother?  But as he is getting older I feel that it is time to start celebrating the holidays and creating traditions.  I got Trey a few little things for Valentine's Day (his favorite is the stuffed Cookie Monster) but didn't do anything crafty or sentimental.  I figure I'll do this when he can appreciate it and/or remember it and/or react sufficiently to my efforts.

Trey and I made Randy some brownies for Valentine's Day.  

Trey really loves mixing things (thanks to Amy E.V. who unknowingly let me know that Trey is not too young to do this) and watching me cook in the kitchen.  

I gave Trey a piece of brownie and some whipped cream that night after dinner.  He was only interested in the whipped cream and wouldn't even touch the brownie.

Below is a series of pictures that was taken in a very short time period.  If anyone doubts me when I complain that Trey is being moody, just remember these pictures:

Loving his whipped cream

 Really wants the can of whipped cream on the counter

 Happy boy

GIVE ME MORE!!!!!

Randy's parents have several orange trees in their backyard.  They have named each one after a grandchild and haven't let us forget that there is one tree left to name.  Last week we got a shipment of oranges in the mail, and Trey loved them!  He took them out of the box, lined them up on the couch, and when he saw them back in the box (darn Mom!) he took them back out and lined them up again.

Randy's dad was in town on Friday for a few hours between his drive to Portland from Walla Walla and his flight back to Riverside. He stopped by for a quick visit and got to have an early dinner with us.  I wish I could have captured the expression on Trey's face when he got up from his nap to find "Ba-pa" sitting on his couch...a mixture of shock and awe.  I think he sort of thinks that Grandpa Doug lives in the computer due to our Skype time, so to have him live in our house threw him off a little bit. 

 Playing "catch" with the basketball

 Discussing the important things in life - Elmo and Cookie Monster

 Lining up the oranges again

Bapa and Trey practicing their counting skills

One of the new things Trey loves to do is dump out all of his blocks and put the bag over his head.  He thinks it is hysterical.   Randy cut some slits in the bag because we read somewhere once that you aren't supposed to let your kid play with their head in a plastic bag...

On Saturday morning we drove down to Leaburg to see my dad and Sandy (and also for me to get a haircut and Randy to go fishing, but those were secondary, promise).

I am proud to say that this is Trey's first time eating in a fast food restaurant (proud because he hasn't done it before) and even prouder to say that he refused to eat any of the food.  That's my boy.

Trey and his other "ba-pa" cuddling in the man chair

Now Trey has a thing for chickens and ducks.  I have no idea why but "ka-ka" (duck) was one of his first words, he loves the chicken and duck puzzle pieces so much from his wooden puzzle that he carries them around, and he loves pictures of chickens and ducks in books.  I think he might be drawn to them in part because he has seen them in real life.  Heidi and Kelly live next door to my dad and Sandy and they have a shitton of poultry.  I honestly can't think of a better way to say it.  This picture does not do justice to the amount of birds they have in their hen house.  (And I am pleased to report that Kelly is supposedly going to get rid of a few of the roosters because they woke him up in the middle of the night.  Finally.  I hate those f-ing roosters.)  

Julie, Tim, and Grady came down on Sunday for the night.  Here is sweet Grady at 4.5 months.  I only got to hold him a little bit, and I felt a little deprived.  I seriously need to find a way to spend more with this boy.  

So some final thoughts for the week....

I don't really get Pinterest.  I know a lot of my friends really love it and rave about it, but I can't wrap my head around it.  I think that this is because I am a little limited in my web browsing and I don't look at the right stuff.  When I'm on the computer I do email, Facebook, news, and blogs.  I really like reading people's blogs.  But when I look at my friends' Pinterest pages, they have all this really cool stuff pinned and I think "Where in the hell do they find this stuff?" I wouldn't even know where to start.  And, to be honest, looking at those things (especially the crafty kid stuff) is just another way to make me feel like a deficient mother.  

I'm in the middle of a phase where I feel a little bit like a bad mom (and this isn't even related to my guilt about things like fluoride, vitamins, baby sign language...).  I feel like I spend my entire week counting down until the weekend so I can spend time with Trey, and then the weekend comes and I feel like I spend my day counting down until naptime or bedtime.  I love being with Trey and he makes me laugh so much (lately his tiger growl gets me every time), but he is being so whiny and can't tell me what he needs or wants.  I know this is his age and not being able to express himself, but I honestly feel like I spend my day trying to read his mind and not being able to meet his needs.  It's very frustrating and very exhausting and makes me feel bad.  

I get really annoyed with bikes.  I think it's great that so many people ride bikes around town for transportation.  Great.  Really, I do.  But I think if bikers want to be treated like cars, they need to act like cars.  Today Randy and I were driving in Multnomah Village and these two bikers were riding directly in front of us on the road.  Like right in front of us where there was nowhere for us to go.  I'm thinking "Oh, they think they're a car."  But then we get to the stop sign and they blow right through it. "Wait a second," I think, "I thought you wanted to be a car!!!"  We then saw them blow through another stop sign at the bottom of the hill.  I'm sure they went from there to continue riding their bikes down the middle of the freaking street.  Makes me crazy.  

I mentioned above that I like blogs.  I really like reading Mom blogs.  Makes me feel a little more normal.  I just discovered this one and really like this post.   I also liked this post on urbanmamas from last week: Working Mothers, Hipsters, and What We See When We Look At Other Moms.   Wow, and while working on this blog post, I just read this post: The Sanctimommy and I like it too.  

Wrapping up my favorite kind of weekend

I am wrapping up my favorite kind of weekend: a mixture of social time, productivity, and some alone time all in a few short days.

Friday night I went to see the Descendants with Kris, and we were able to meet for a glass of wine beforehand.   I literally leaned over to Kris as the opening credits rolled and said, "I have no idea what this movie is about."  I mean, sure, I had seen the previews and I knew George Clooney was in it, but I had no clue that it was about a mother who died.  The expression on the face of the girl as she learned her mom was dying and she cried, the scenes of the mother withering away in her hospital bed, the death watch by the family, and the scenes of the father taking care of his two girls were brutal.  Honest, but so brutal.  I thought the movie was really good, but I wish I would have been a little bit better prepared.  My mom was 42 when she got her first brain tumor, and Julie and I are so lucky we didn't lose her then.  As difficult as it was to lose her in 2005, at least we were adults and had lived a full life with her.  Man, I miss my mom.  

On Saturday, Trey and I went to breakfast with some friends from my old school in Woodburn (I just had to rearrange where I put the adjective "old" in that sentence), ran some errands, I got some work done for a testing company on a new and improved version of a test we use, Trey took a great nap, and we met Sarah and her boys down in NW.  Trey had a great time playing at the toy store and we discovered that Laurelwood in NW no longer exists.  Too bad for the parents who had a place for kids to play while they enjoyed some adult beverages.  

Today Randy took Trey to the Sportsman's show while I stayed home and read (bliss), Trey took a great nap while I did some household organization and caught up on the dvr, and we went and met Adam and his girls at Hopworks.  Overall, a great day.  

Randy got some good fishing in this weekend, and here is a video of his time yesterday on the Oregon Coast (he won't even let me publish the river he was on - what a diehard).  

Randy's fishing video

I can't get it upload from You Tube, but click on this link and you will see it.  

I realize I don't have any new pictures of Trey to post.  We did take pictures of Grady during the Super Bowl last weekend, but I am too lazy to download them right now.  It's time to do some casserole making for tomorrow and some reading so this mama can go to bed.  Can't believe Monday is just around the corner again.  Looking forward to a visit with Grandpa Doug on Friday, book club, and a weekend in Leaburg with Grandpa Gerts and Sanny.  Julie and her family will also be there, I will finally get my hair cut, and I will get to see Sarah Long.  Can't ask for a better weekend than that!  

Go Patriots! (That was for you, Julie.)

So every time I go into iPhoto to download pictures for this blog, this one comes up at the very top.  It is from a beach trip we took with Kris and John a few years ago, and it makes me laugh every time I see it.  For those of you who know Tango, you know he can be a little nutso.  When Trey was about 4 months old, Tango started chewing on everything Trey had sucked on...basically A LOT of things were destroyed in our house.  Tango took a chewing reprieve, but he is back on it.  I thought it was because he is left alone for 9 hours a day at home, but on Saturday he chewed two separate things when I was gone for 30 minutes and then 90 minutes.  Little shit.  

This is the other picture that comes up at the top and is a good visual of what I do for my job.  I tested this kid a few years ago, and the shirt amused me so much I asked him if I could take a picture of it.  I don't think he really understood why it was funny for him to wear it, but it's so symbolic of the student with a learning disability who can be very intelligent but has working memory or retrieval problems and can't come up with the answer quickly or on demand.

Another thing I love about my job is the constant learning that goes on.  In my old job as a learning specialist I got great rewards from working with students and families and seeing constant progress.  In my new (ahem, 5 years now) job, I don't get that same type of personal reward, but the amount of personal learning I have is much greater.  Last week I heard about this opinion piece in the New York Times and sent it to the clinical psychologists who I work with.  Yesterday I read the reply from one of them who not only gave me his opinion but also some further links to read about the topic.  I really am pretty lucky with the constant learning that goes on in my job.

Now, on to family news....

Trey is getting better and better at his walking.  Randy took him to the zoo a few weeks ago and said he walked all over.  I took him to the park yesterday and he was a walking machine.  It's so fun, but IT'S SO SLOW!  I need to start factoring in extra time for how long it takes Trey to get anywhere.

Here are Trey and Oliver, Dyer's son, on a coffee date.  I think this picture may have been the only time the two boys sat still for the entire coffee date.

My two cute boys after another morning at OMSI

 I LOVE this picture of Randy and Trey.  They are watching an NFL playoff game, and Randy is introducing Trey to extra-buttered popcorn.  I know these two are going to be two peas in a pod.

I also really love this picture.  It is of the six offspring of myself and two of my oldest friends.  Kerri and I have known each other since the first grade, and Kelly and I met in the seventh grade.  The girls are lucky that I don't have a scanner (or the energy to go looking through old photo albums) because it would be really fun to post some old pictures of us.  We get together when we can, which is not often enough, but this time we included husbands and kids.  The three of us have seen each other through a lot and I am so lucky to still have these two women in my life.  (Editor's Note: I discovered at dinner that neither of them read my blog, so really I could say anything about them and they would never know.) 

Trey and I had a really great day yesterday.  It was so sunny out and we took full advantage.  First, I made homemade waffles and finally got my boy to eat something.  He's been sick with a cold and hasn't eaten much of anything for the past few days.  Then we went on a walk to the library and stopped to visit with some friends along the way.  Unfortunately, he fell asleep on the way home which kind of screwed up his nap.  

Next, we went on a playdate with Owen, an old friend from Trey's first daycare.  I love the picture below because he looks like such a little boy.

Trey and Owen had fun walking around at the park, but it was a little cold and once Trey's nose started running and wouldn't stop, I decided I wasn't making a good parenting choice and we headed back to Owen's house.

Owen and Trey had fun with Owen's cool toys.  They didn't play much "with" each other, but they played next to each other quite nicely.

Lastly, we went to Kris and John's for dinner and delicious margaritas.  Unfortunately, Trey was super whiny and tired and not the greatest dinner guest.  Thank goodness for Elmo and margaritas.  

Today is the Super Bowl and we are awaiting Julie, Tim and Grady's arrival.  I can't wait to get my hands on Grady.  I don't feel like I see him enough, but it is hard with working full time and our early curfew.  He is four months old already.  I will try and get some good pictures of him today and post them soon.

One of my favorite moments of the day is when I get to crawl into bed and open up my book to read.  I have read every night before bed for as long as I can remember, even when Trey was brand new.  I feel like I read a lot, but when I go back to my book journal where I list my books, it seems that I don't get through many books in a month.  I also find that since leaving Annie Bloom's, it requires a lot more effort to find good things to read.  One of my favorite websites is in support of independent booksellers.  I also like looking at Powell's for what is new and who is coming to read.  Reading is one of my favorite things, and I hope to pass this on to Trey.  This has moved to the top of my reading stack:

Trey doesn't require very much discipline, but I would like some tips and tools to use when needed.  If anyone has other books, websites, tips, etc, feel free to pass them on.   

"Trey, get that marker out of your ear and please do not color your eyelid yellow."

So my sister is headed back to work tomorrow after a 16 week maternity leave.  She's going through many of the same emotions and feelings that I went through when I had to go back to work and that many of my friends said they went through too.  Even though she's about to experience what so many have gone through before, it doesn't make it any easier for her.  It makes me think, however, about when I returned to work and why it sucked so badly.  For me it had to do with leaving Trey for nine hours a day (first in Randy's care and then at daycare) and not being with him all of the time.  I've gotten over that, to some extent, although it still hurts sometimes.  I felt that ache last Thursday when I drove to daycare to pick him up.  You know, that ache where you just can't wait to get your hands on your child and love them and squeeze them and cover their face with kisses?  (This ache quickly dissipated after we got home and he proceeded to whine and cry for the remainder of the evening.)  It also had to do with the loss of control.  I remember quite vividly the nap anxiety I had that Randy wouldn't be able to get Trey down for a nap or that Randy wouldn't be able to soothe Trey as easily (and as well, if we're being honest) as I could.  Even now, I don't know what Trey does all day, what he eats, what he "says", what cute things he does...I don't know how his daycare provider responds to him, soothes him, disciplines him, etc.  But I think in the end this will make Trey a more well rounded child and more able to interact with and respond to others when he is not in my care.  Because at the end of the day isn't what we want a child who can be successful independent of their parents?

This past week was particularly trying for me as a working mom.  Randy's new job has a new schedule and he doesn't get home until 6:30pm.  This means the post-daycare evening routine is all on me and I had no idea how much I relied on Randy in the evenings to participate in this thing we call parenting.  Coming straight home from work and having to be "on" for another three hours (and then make dinner after that) is exhausting.  What I got out of this week (besides droopy eyelids, extra fatigue, and a dose of crankiness) is a reminder of how lucky I am to have so many girlfriends who provide advice and support when needed.  I love being able to reach out for help and get a variety of suggestions but consistency in support.

A friend posted this on her Facebook page last week and the timing was perfect.  I know that so many moms have similar busy schedules, messy houses, guilt complexes about the things they are doing wrong (my big one right now has to do with Elmo), etc., but it is nice to read about it and be able to relate.  At least I find value in it.

Enough of that.

It's been a fabulous three day weekend and let me tell you why:
- two out of three days with 2-2.5 hour naps in the crib
- TONS of giggles and laughter with my boy who just has the silliest personality
- continued "talking"...Trey "talks" constantly and I love the cadence of his speech that makes him sound like he's really talking.  Also, he's up to 10 words in just the past few weeks which has been so much fun.  Unfortunately, he has discovered "no" which he likes to use on a frequent basis.
- celebrating Randy's birthday on Saturday out at Bridgeport with friends and family
- going out for drinks and dessert with Randy at Breakside while my dad and Sandy stayed home with Trey
- celebrating Tim's (brother in law) birthday today at Julie and Tim's house with Tim's family and watching Trey explore and wander around like never before
- watching and listening to Trey with my Dad on Sunday morning

- taking a mini-nap this morning while Randy and Trey played together
- going to OMSI on Saturday morning with Randy and Trey.  Here are some pictures:

 Watching Trey walk around the Science Playground and explore as he never has before was awesome.

"Look, Mom, FRUIT!" 

The boys resting after a particularly busy time at the water table. 

Helping Randy to make a Bronco pattern.  Clearly, it wasn't a good luck token. 

Trey is really in to magnets right now.  I love watching him figure out how they work.

Well, it's 7:57pm and almost time for trash tv to start...better go get comfy so I don't miss a dramatic moment.  It's a four day work week coming up and that makes Mama very happy!  

Hallelujah! The boy can walk!

After 18 long months, Trey has finally decided to walk on his own!  He has been walking holding our finger for two months and cruises around the perimeter of any room he is in.  We have been convinced for the past several weeks that his lack of independent walking skills was mostly a confidence issue.  He took a few steps at Disneyland a few weeks ago, but since he hasn't done it since then, I thought I was maybe hallucinating.  Well, on Friday Randy called me at work to say that Trey was walking on his own.  He has been doing it more and more, and WE ARE THRILLED!!!

The other exciting news in the world of developmental milestones is that Trey has had a burst in receptive language.  He is pointing to a variety of body parts and pointing to a ton of pictures in his books.  Sometimes I even ask him one that I think he won't know and he knows it.  It's amazing!  He also has started to use a few more words (hello, hi, bye bye, mommy, dada, and a variation of Grandpa).  He has been slow to meet his milestones which is driving his special educator-neurotic-worried mother a little nutso.  I am so happy that he is finally starting to show us what he knows!  SO HAPPY!

After we returned from California, we did Christmas with my family at my sister's new house.  Trey was so comfortable so quickly with my dad and that was really awesome. Usually it takes him a while to warm up, but he seems to have turned a corner with that too.

Trey loves to put the phone up to his ear and say, "Allo?"  

Melts my heart every time. 

Trey showing Grandpa his favorite chickens. 

Waiting for dinner 

Checking out his new blocks from Grandpa and Sanny 

Trey is becoming more and more interested in Grady...

especially when Grady is on my lap.

Two treasures - Trey and Grady 

Opening his present from Mom and Dad 

"Look!  A trike!" 

Practicing riding on his new tricycle

For the last few years we have had a Christmas Eve brunch and it has been one of my favorite traditions of the holidays.  This year we were in California for Christmas Eve, so we decided to move it to New Years Eve.  So much fun to have friends and family together in our house.  The party seems to grow by one or two each year (this year it was Grady) and also the kids are getting bigger and bigger.  I think we need a bigger house!

Julie, Grady and Tim 

The kids having brunch - Jackson, Zander, Trey, Camille, and Kai.  

Not sure where Declan was. 

Sarah, Kai, and Zander 

Trey telling Camille something very important 

Camille reminding Trey that they were supposed to look at the camera 

Best shot I could get of two wiggly 18 month olds 

Julie and Grady, almost 3 months old 

Tango has become one of Trey's new toys.  

Today he even tried to use Tango as a couch.   

Tango is such a good sport.

One of Trey's new favorite things is the silverware drawer.  

It could entertain him for hours.  Okay, minutes.  But still. 

Trey has discovered his love for markers.  

Usually, I keep a closer eye on him, 

but this morning he used his face instead of the paper.  

The photo missed all of the marker all around his neck.  Oops.  

Last week I went to see Storm Large at Powell's with Kellie.  Storm Large is such an amazing artist and it was really fun to see her when she wasn't on stage singing.   She is vivacious, hilarious, beautiful, and crude.  If you haven't seen her 8 miles wide video, click here.  But beware that if you are easily offended, don't watch it.  And don't blame me if you start singing this song as you're doing chores or going on a walk.  It's quite catchy.

In other news, Randy has started a new job at the primate center at OHSU.  He is working in a new lab with a new scientist doing research on Huntington's Disease.  He is excited about this new job and is looking forward to his role in this important research.  My only complaint is that his hours are different, he doesn't get home until 6:30pm (basically right before bedtime), and it throws off my whole evening routine.  Regardless, I am happy for him and can't wait to hear how his cognitive testing of the monkeys compares to my cognitive testing of kids.