Bruce

This is a LONG overdue post!  Yesterday I sat up and realized that I haven't blogged haven't written about all the little things Bruce does and says that I don't want to forget.  I am at serious risk of over-using exclamation points.  That's how much fun this kid is. 
 
He's 2 and a half now.  That went so fast!  He is seriously the sweetest child.  He's laid back, until he isn't!  Then everyone knows he isn't happy, including the neighbors, I think!  See too many ! already.  He is cuddly, loves everyone, checks in with me while he's playing - just for a hug.  He wants to sit on my lap and read, sit on my lap and watch a video, sit on my lap and drink his milk, sit on my lap and snuggle in while he wakes up.  I can't get enough of him!
 
He's starting to talk too.  But he rarely uses the first sound of a word.  He calls himself Uce.  Of course it's entirely dependent on context. Uce also means juice.  He says uuk too.  That one really has many meanings!  Look, book, cook, you get the idea.  My favorite words he uses though, are the ones that make his daddy stop worrying about him when he puts on a tutu to show off for company (like his sister).  Ools - tools, Mer - hammer, at - hat, ball, Lllela - Stella, Ops - PoPs.  They are the cutest! 

He makes me laugh all day.  If I pick him up and say "are you my baby?" He'll say no, if I ask if he's my big boy he says "No, Uce!"  He's Bruce.  Love that kid.  He's a helper too.  He's not particularly obedient if given a command, we're working on that, but if I "ask him to help" he's all in.  And if I've asked him to do something he's fiercely possessive of the task.  If Stella tries to do something he's supposed to do he lets out a blood curdling shriek.  There is no other word for it.  It usually gets my attention pretty quickly! 

That's not the only time we hear The Shriek though.  Oh, no.  He also uses it if she's trying to take a toy, or if she already has one that's a special toy (the toy du jour).  He's still carrying and chewing his puppy.  PoPs calls it a bacteria bomb.  He's got at least two names for that puppy too.  Ruff when he's pretty calm, and Baby when he's worked up.  Sweetness personified.  He likes to walk around with it ear in mouth, the rest draped over his face and head, so he can barely see.  He thinks it's funny, which it is.

He is my most wonderful gift, this baby who is not baby or big boy.  He's Bruce.  My Buck-man.  

No more Milk

For this boy.  At least not regular grocery store milk. Nope.  He has a "dairy sensitivity."  We (finally) took Bruce to see a homeopathic doctor.  I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner.  He got him on his funky little machine and 5 minutes later says it's a dairy sensitivity.  Probably to the casein. Probably to the casein that is broken (he described it as folded in half) during the pasteurization process.  This was not a real big surprise to me.  I have known since he was still nursing that there was a connection to my milk consumption and his gut reactions. 

So we have switched him to raw milk and cheese and I am learning just how very much dairy we eat!  No cheese! no goldfish! no pizza! Aren't those like the 3 food groups according to toddlers?  Oh I forgot chicken nuggets.  They're still ok.

We're figuring it out. And I'm learning.  He sleeps better and talks more when he feels good.  So I'm all for it!  We're grateful to have an answer that doesn't include surgery (for tubes) to getting rid of all those pesky ear infections!

Christmas 2011

Christmas this year was fun!  With 2 little ones old enough to enjoy every part of it, we had so much fun.  We (again) did 4 for Christmas.  Which is an idea I read ages ago, somewhere.  I can't remember where or I'd share.  Anyway the idea is to only get your kids 4 gifts for Christmas.  Something they Want, something they Need, something to Wear, something to Read.  This helps me to keep from going overboard on the gifts.  Because I would! 

So, Stella got a new dress-up dress, a new dress-up storage... thing. (That Sid and I made by re-purposing a craigslist dresser, inspired by something I saw on Pinterest).  Also a pair of the cutest little navy blue corduroy pants (I went into Osh-Kosh for jeans and came out with cords). And the book  The Clown of God, by Tomie DePaola. 

Bruce got a wooden train set (which he couldn't wait to open and play with).  A Higher chair (since he loved Stella's so much, and since he wanted to sit AT the table with us during meals).  A new pair of jeans, and his book is The Story of Jesus which is a little golden book. 

And I was super proud of myself because I surprised Sid and got him a GPS.  He loves it.  And I love it.  And it still makes me smile when I think of his reaction when he opened it!

He got me a date to go pick out new boots.  Cowboy girl boots.  It was a fun morning.  We went to Green Dragon which is a large farmers market/ flea market/ defies acurate description market.  We had a lovely breakfast and I got boots!  They make me happy.

Since it was a Sunday we also did the church thing. You know since it's about Him and all.  We waited to do gifts after church, and Henry came with Kerri.  It was lovely! 

I am so abundantly blessed by my God and my Family.  I am so thankful that Jesus would come.  And as I was reminded so many times this season He came as baby, but He didn't stay one.  He grew up, to die on a cross.  And that is why I can celebrate His coming!

Family Photos

We recently had family pictures taken by the very talented and very fun Sara, from More Photos, Less Words.  They are fantastic!  It's very hard to believe that she is still in high school.  We believe that she has a bright future.  Here are some of my favorites, and here are the links to her blog posts specifically relating to us! 

Sneak Peek

The F Family

This Smile...

Is so contagious.  I cannot see it and not smile back.  It is so lopsided.  It has been since her very first one!  I'm so glad that she didn't grow out of it.  She smiles and her whole being lights up. From the inside out. She smiles with her eyes more than anyone I've ever met.  I'm sure you've read in books where the character has smiling, or dancing eyes.  Well, this kid's got 'em!

And this one?  This smile lights the whole world.  

His eyes smile too.  And that dimple! Oh, I am in trouble.  These two are gonna break some hearts for sure! For now though, I am gonna do my best to make sure that the joy and delight in these smiles stays there.

Drama, Drama, Drama

My son, whom I love with my whole heart, is a drama king.  He will throw himself, face down on the floor, arms out and wail.  I'm not talking about that whiney, wimpy crying stuff.  None of that for this kid.  I mean wail, big tears, heart-breaking stuff.  And then he peeks, to make sure you're watching.  Not always, but man oh man.  My favorite was the day he started to, he made the face, started to lean forward, but he was in his high chair.  Then he opened his mouth WIDE, we all braced ourselves, he had his eyes closed and... no sound. He opened his eyes, took another look around, and did it again.  No sound.  he peeked.  We laughed.  And he's caught.  It doesn't work so well anymore.  But it doesn't stop him from trying.  This is the only picture I currently have of the face-planted wail sessions.

He gets over it pretty quickly.  This picture was taken about 30 minutes after the first!

Walking!

Bruce is learning to walk.  It's so much fun.  As of yet he will only walk to a person, or maybe from a person to a large stationary object, like a chair.  But he's getting better and better!  He's just starting to stand up on his own, with no help.  Stella did that first, then walked.  But Bruce?  Who wants to stand still long enough to figure out how?  He still pulls himself up on whatever happens to be handy, then takes his few wobbly steps.  Then, of course, everyone claps and cheers, and Bruce looks quite pleased with himself.

He's pretty good if he has a finger to hold, though we sometimes get that walking-in-circles effect.  Like if you rowed a boat with just one oar.  It's actually kinda funny.  It won't be long until I'm really chasing down a toddler.  I can wait, but at the same time, I can't!  It's super fun to watch.  And I'm so glad that he decided to start now, while Grandma was here to enjoy it! 

I hope the video loads, then you can see how cute those first steps are!




I love my life, I wouldn't trade it for the world!

A Boy and His Cake

A story in pictures of a Boy and His First Birthday Cake.

We think he liked it. 

Grandma!

Grandma came to visit us this week.  We had so much fun.  Most days we just hung out around the house, but we had a few "outings" as well.  This was the first time we have seen her since August.  That is a long time for us, but it seems like an eternity when there are little kids involved.  Bruce was 2 months old the last time we saw her.  There is a big difference between 2 months and 12 months, see?

 

Stella couldn't get enough of her, and Bruce warmed up quite well.  Grandma really couldn't get enough of either kid!

If you choose to...

read the paper for 2 more minutes and let your 3 year old entertain her brother, when you go upstairs to get him out of his crib this is what you will find:

 

My latest project

Bruce likes to try and eat things.  Anything he can get into his mouth. Like shopping carts.  It's gross, makes me gag.  So I decided he needed one of those cart covers.  You've seen them.  They go over the seat and you plunk your kid inside to keep them all germ free.  I had one for Stella.  I used it one time and decided it was too much work and that the people who used them must be germ-phobic.  But, then again, Stella wasn't trying to eat the metal on the side of the basket.  So anyway, Bruce was trying to eat the metal, so he needed something. Well, I did anyway.  

So like anyone with a sewing machine, I took my measuring tape to market with me and measured the cart. In the parking lot. While getting strange looks from people. I determined that I needed a 40" x 40" square. (Having now made it I would probably go with a 40" x 42" rectangle in the future.) Armed with my measurements I went to the fabric store and bought myself 4 feet of two very cute fabrics. Polka-dots and stars. Blue and brown.  Cute, but boy-ish enough for a baby.

 

Now begins the semi-tutorial.  I used no pattern.  I'm a rebel like that. Actually, I thought "how hard can it be? It's a square of fabric with some elastic and leg holes." Ha. 

It really wasn't too hard. I trimmed my fabric to 41" x 41", to leave room for seam allowances and the (very narrow) elastic I chose. 

Sew fabric right sides together, leave a hole for turning.

Turn right side out.  Iron seams.  Top stitch very close to the edge.

While you have that iron out... find the longer strip from where you trimmed your fabric.  Use it to make the binding you'll use for your leg holes.  There is a great tutorial here, if you need it. (One half of the 48 in. strip of fabric will bind one leg hole. Just. (Measure twice, cut once applies well here)).  

 

   

Now it's time to make the leg holes.  

Lay your fabric down and find the center point of an edge. Preferably not the side where your hole is.  Measure 2 inches (you could get away with 1.5" but I wouldn't go any less than that) toward the outside. Then measure 12 inches down.  This point will be your top inside corner of leg hole #1.  Make the leg hole 5 inches wide, 6 inches deep. Mark and cut out.  Repeat for leg hole two.  

Take the self-fabric binding you just made and sew the binding onto the leg holes. 

Now mark the hole where you turned your fabrics right side out, both sides of it.  Measure in enough to fit your elastic through. I used 1/4"  Sew a seam around the entire cover.  This will make a channel for the elastic to go through.  Thread elastic through.  (This was the single hardest part! Sid laughed at me.)  Sew elastic ends together.

Close up the hole, being careful not to get the elastic.

Finish binding the leg holes (if you haven't already).

I added some rings that I had on hand, so that I could attach toys (or my keys) to the cover.  I used some leftover scraps and some D-rings. Do a very tight zigzag around the edges, fold over the very edge, then just enough to make a loop for the ring, and still be able to sew it on.  Sew on to the front, wherever you want!

 

The last part is to measure down 5 or 6 inches (on the back) and put in some large buttonholes.  Mine are about a foot apart, and more or less centered.  These will enable you to strap your cart-eating baby in so he (or she) can't  climb out.  Not that they would try of course.  But there's something about wanting your kid to be safe, just in case.  Falling headfirst out of a cart just doesn't sound like a real fun idea to me.  I know, I'm a fun-sucker.

I got a 6 foot strap with a buckle at Walmart, because they didn't come in shorter lengths, and most of the carts at market don't have straps .  There I go again with the falling out thing.  

Put your cover on your cart on your next shopping trip and enjoy!

Isn't he cute?

Buck-man!

Bruce woke up early from his nap today.  He was in a good mood and so I grabbed my camera. He was unusually cooperative, but he had my full attention since Stella was still sleeping.  I couldn't help but snag and post a few pictures of my rapidly growing boy!Enjoy them!


So proud of himself, for getting up on the step, and trying to get up the stairs!


My happy guy! A smile when I'm not holding him!





Hey, look,  I crawled up your leg!







Yeah, I'm cool.  Too bad his eyes aren't open in this one!



The slightly-elusive-but-oh-so-fun laugh.  I got it by pushing him in the chest every time he leaned forward.  What a boy! What a joy!

Daddy's boy

Last week Sid did a little project requiring some tools.  Just a minor build.  In order to make sure everything was cut right He brought the peices home and assembled it here.  This of course necessitated his bringing a tool bag home too.  The next morning, I let Bruce play on the floor and 2 minutes later this is what I found. 



  Yep, he's a boy alright!

Bath time fun

This is a post that I have to do, because, well, because I'm a mom.  And I never bathed Stella in a sink.  I had a spiffy little bath tub that sat on top of the sink.  But it's in storage for now, so Bruce gets a bath in the sink! 

I'm in trouble now!

Bruce is fully mobile.

He is able to army marine crawl to just about anywhere he wants to go.  This is fun.  He loves to crawl under the side tables and try to play with lamp cords.  I think he wants to eat them.

Buck can't sit up quite yet, but he can pull himself to standing.  Oh, boy.  Really?  Really?  Standing before sitting.  Yep that's my kid!

It really is fun to watch.  He  wiggles, crawls, or rolls, to wherever it is he wants to get, then reaches as high as he can.  Then up onto his knees, and from there, his feet.  Then he looks around for praise, all proud of himself.

The first time he did it was using Stella's bed frame.  Since then he's used the first step(!), a child sized rocking chair (with trouble... it moves), the sofa, the legs of whomever is closest. He's tried on the cabinet doors too, but there is nothing to grab!