Yo Gabba Gabba

If you ever want to feel like you're on an acid trip...watch Yo Gabba Gabba on NickJr.
(Disclaimer to my mother - I have never been on an acid trip - just estimating that this is what the world would feel/look like).

We watched an episode of this OnDemand after being reminded for the 5000th by the media/society that this show is out there. This show is completely messed up, mind-boggling, annoying, simple, complex, fascinating, stupid, genius and captivating all in one. Seriously, someone was on some good stuff when they came up with this. Even their books are seriously crazy!

The episode we watched featured 90's music "icon" Biz Markie - however I've learned that this show has featured a TON of celebrity guests, including Elijah Wood, Tony Hawk and one of my favorite comedians - Jack Black. I love the pic below I found when searching for this:

So check it out - if you have kids, or if you don't. You'll never be the same.
And for the record, D loved it.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

This year, no surprise, I'm thankful for my happy, healthy, amazing boy. What a difference a year makes...

Last year - D was one month old and still on a monitor.

This year - I've got a big, strong 13 month old crazy man!!

Library

Does anyone else have a love/hate relationship with their library?

I seriously love the library - we've already gone over my odd love of books themselves, and my love of being surrounded by them. This seems to have passed on to my son - who LOVES books and would rather sit and flip through pages of books than play with any toy or stuffed animal. You also may or may not know that because I've become me-time-deprived and spend sooo much time in the car, that I have been listening to books on CD basically since I went back to work from maternity leave almost a year ago. I feel out of the loop sometimes, as I never listen to the radio anymore...but I love my books!

I've gone through the full gamut of genres and topics since that time, and discovered authors that I love, and some that I thought I might enjoy that I don't. I have discovered that I really (oddly enough) PREFER British accents by the narrators, am interested in a lot of non-fiction, am still obsessed with anything Jodi Picoult puts out in the universe, and sadly was interested through every disc of Tori Spelling's Mommywood. Right now I'm reading/listening to The Jane Austen Book Club, and I really like it. I heard through a co-worker that this was made into a movie - which she showed me at the grocery store - and I must reiterate how LOOSELY some books are interpreted for movies, just by glancing at the cover. However, that's not what this is supposed to be about.

About SIX MONTHS ago I put in a hold request for multiple books on CD that I want to "read", and...NADA from my library. Seriously, they have not said boo about any of the books - and I was never contacted.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love the library and my ability to read so many books that I would not be able to afford to purchase for myself (nor would I ever want to in a few of the cases). However - let's be serious. Don't give me the option to request a book from another location or give me the ability to put a book on hold if it's not freaking going to happen. That audio copy of The Red Tent can't be THAT busy, can it?

Good thing for the board book section of my library that D cannot get enough of...or we'd have a bone to pick :)

Prematurity Awareness Month

As you know - D was a preemie - born at 34 weeks.
November is Prematurity Awareness Month. You can learn more and help the fight to end prematurity at the March of Dimes website. (You can click the image below to go to their prematurity awareness site).


This video will tell you more...

I cry when I see the babies in the video...that mom at the isolette's side holding the baby's hand was me for a week in the hospital. D wore those cords and monitors, he had tubes in his nose & face, he had IV's in his arms, and he had the phototherapy lights on him as well. We were lucky as D had relatively small complications and did well...he was big and strong. Not all parents are as lucky.
We will never know why D came so early (I say he wanted to be here for Halloween), but hopefully we won't go through that again. And with the efforts of the March of Dimes, maybe someday we'll all know how to prevent premature births altogether.

Follow Up T

After I posted my blog last night - I looked on the Munchkin website - which is the company that makes the foam letters & numbers set that includes the beloved T. I had been on the site to get the photo of the product, but I wanted to look for a contact e-mail address just to get something a shot.

I sent an e-mail through their customer service, explaining my son's attachment and asking if there was any way to purchase a few of the T's. I knew it was a long shot...but offered to pay the full price of the set and really just wanted to see if I'd get a response.

I got this in my e-mail this morning:

Hi there Marie,
Thank you for contacting us, we recognize that customers like you have made Munchkin the company it is today, and we truly appreciate hearing from you.
Unfortunately, we do not sell individual letters or numbers from our Bath Letters and Numbers sets.
However, I have a few extra sets here and would be happy to send you any of the “T” letters that I can find.
If you could please provide me with your mailing information I will have the extra letters sent out to you.
Sincerely,
Amanda Maria
Consumer Relations

SUPER IMPRESSED WITH THEM! I encourage you all to all to try out anything from the Munchkin product line - I've been thrilled with their products - they're all "safe" - and clearly their customer service ROCKS!

Should Have Been T

Apparently "D" wishes his name was "T".

Kids attach themselves to stuff, I know this. However, for most kids it's a stuffed animal or blanket. But for my little bookworm...it's a letter.

Yep - we bought D some of the bathtub foam letters & numbers. (This is not a photo of D, it's the kid from the company's website). He loves them, and has a great time peeling them off the sides of the tub and seeing them float around him in the tub. He loves the T so much - he won't let go.

Yeah for some reason one night he took the T out of the tub with him to do pj's and bed. He let go for the night - but the next morning saw it and needed it. He puts the little red T in his left hand and just holds it there - doing everything else one-handed or with a fist. He'll sometimes switch it back and forth to the other hand, sometimes give it a chew or sometimes even hammer something with it. We take it with us in the car, he naps with it, and it sometimes even joins him for meals. I guess at the babysitter's house he doesn't really keep it with him because he's distracted by the kids - and he DOES forget about it when distracted or out and about.

Case in point: we went to Best Buy on Friday night - and D was carrying his T when we walked in. After about the 10th section of the store - we realize it's not in his hand anymore - and after I comb the store, we realize it's gone. We went next door to Target and bought another $5 set of letters to pull out the T (so I'll donate to someone's kid - let me know if you want a brand new set with no T).

My mom asked if he'd take another letter, like the I or the L. The answer = no. They are not red - and apparently don't fit in his hand like the good ole T. There was no way I couldn't replace it - as that night in the tub he would be searching through the 25 other letters and 10 numbers for that one, and we would have a problem. So unless I wanted to make all the letters disappear...we had no choice.

This wasn't a big deal - but today he dropped it in a store again (luckily we found it) and I fear I may need back-up. So, I'll probably have letter sets donated to both grandparents, all cousins and all friend's houses before we're done...I just hope none of their kids mind the missing red T. :)

Happy 6 Years

Happy 6 Year Anniversary to my hubster. I can't believe it's been 6 years since this:

We don't ever really celebrate - - however tonight we ordered Papa John's pizza. Mostly we didn't want to cook - but it was a nice nod to our college days. Papa John's was a staple in our diets.
We actually went to the Bulls game last weekend...which we're counting as celebration since it was our first real date night since D!

We also don't ever exchange gifts - but on Friday at my office - I got this from Dain:
It's even more beautiful in person. And it made a great addition to the ambiance in our house for the showing we had today (and there's one scheduled for tomorrow too!!) Cross your fingers all - the ultimate anniversary gift would be a sold house!

Photos for Grandma

Someone's grandma wanted some new pictures uploaded...I won't name any names.

Here's the results of the haircut...

Pre-cut profile:

And after...HE HAS A NECK!

When are you going to...

It always happens - you have a boyfriend and everyone asks when you're going to get married. You get married and everyone asks when you're going to have kids. You have a kid - and the kid turns one - and EVERYONE ASKS when you're going to have another one.

The answer is...not for awhile in my case. D is finally sleeping through the night, and is so much fun now we're not thinking about that yet. But it's not stopping people from asking. My boss even asked and I said if I could have a raise and a few days off a week I would :)

Anywho - I'm enjoying having a new nephew - a preggo best friend/sister-in-law - preggo friend from my last job - preggo friend in breastfeeding group - and seeing the new babies of my sister's in-law's and my old college friends through the glories of the internet. Someday we'll have more - but a few things in our lives will have to be different first. Until then - D RULES ALL!!

This blog is mostly just to say HOORAY that my child sleeps through the night now...it's got a nice ring to it, don't you think? :)

Cut Cut

I gave D his first haircut last night! :(

Okay - we DO want to let his hair grow out - but the back was growing much faster than the top - and he looked like he had a SERIOUS mullet - so I cut the back only and now it's almost the same length as the sides.

Photos later.

So weird though - giving my baby a haircut...

Flavia

Many of you may be familiar with "Flavia" art. This collection of inspriational art and writings is created by Flavia Weedn. Her work is very recognizable.

On D and I's last trip to the library - one of the board books we checked out was a Flavia book called "When I Grow Up" - and we LOVE it.

As we do with every library book we have for the week (or two week) stretch between visits - we read at least one of them in the bedtime book rotation each night. This book has made it in every night. It's a great book - only a few words on a page with Flavia's great illustrations.

When I grow up, I might be...a rainbow or a wise old tree. Maybe a fireman, or a nurse, or a doctor with an alligator purse. I could be a clown with a funny hat...or a red balloon, imagine that. I might be a drummer in a marching band, or the ruler of a magical land. When I grow up, my dreams will come true...because I'm special just like you.

I love that this book promotes imagination. If you want to be a rainbow someday - be a rainbow. If you want to be a red balloon - it floats with me. If you want to be the ruler of a magical land - rule on. Dreams are limitless...I want D to believe that his opportunities are too. In fact, I hope he becomes a wise old tree :)

This is Halloween

D survived his first "real" Halloween. He did great and didn't even hate us too much for the lobster costume.

We had a play date in the early afternoon with our old pals from breastfeeding group. It had been so long - it was great to see everyone. All the babies are so big - and there's only 2 of us left that are breastfeeding. One of the girls even announced that she's pregnant again!

Here's some photos from the play date:
D and his buddy LJ - who has been on the blog before...
D and his little girlfriend Ruby - these two play together so well!
Our attempt to get the 5 kids that were there to have a Halloween costume picture. Madness ensued...my child is on the move:

Then we moved on to "trick or treating" (3 houses) including a stop at Great Aunt Patty's - where we met up with the cousins Meyer...

D seemed so off in all the pictures yesterday - and we thought he would have a breakdown when we put him in the outfit again today for his 1 year pictures. On the contrary though! He took moderate pictures (okay still adorable) in his sweater and pants, but lit up when he was back as the crustacean! Get ready to see those pics. Seriously...unfair amounts of cuteness. Stay tuned...