Opening his first Christmas gift

OK here is another fun video from our trip to Virgina.

This was my Bug's first Christmas where he could really rip open gifts.  So naturally we video tapped it, took pictures the whole nine and it was funny...it was a long process though.

i would upload a video BUT it was to large sooo if you wanna see you'll have to catch me with my camera sometime.  The HIT gift of the holiday was a jack-n-the box.  My aunt figured she had one when she was little and he should have one too...funniest thing ever.  He still doesn't get the concept of turning the handle to get him to pop out but we are learning!

 

Christmas in the Cold

Our trip was amazing!

i now know the Bug has a 4 hour time limit on being in a confined space, maybe a 5 at most.  Our flight to VA was 4 hours so he did very well.  The flight on the way back he was waving at passengers saying "see ya". Cute but so sad at the same time.  He was a trooper though. 

Family time was amazing and great.  We went to DC, we went to Georgetown, the Bug saw snow fall from the sky, and we ate...we ate and ate!  I love my family and i think i am so blessed to be able to take the time to spend with them. 

Talking John App

I have this application on my IPOD that my baby bug enjoys.  Its two little bacteria's floating around bouncing all over the screen. When you talk to them they repeat everything you say.  One of the great things on my IPOD that keeps him occupied.  The video made me laugh so i figured i share the laugh today!

The Bug is ROUGH

Grammy started playing this game with my Baby Bug where when she is sitting on the floor he pushes her down (one handed tackle) then he pulls her back up.  She calls it playing with him and she gets to work her abs all at the same time.  WELL this would be great EXCEPT he thinks he can do this with every person who sitting or laying on the floor.  He will walk up to you and push you down and then hen you are laying down he walks behind you and pulls you up...by the hair.  I am trying to break him of this by explaining he cant pull you up by the hair, and to let him know he does not have to get upset or frustrated when people do not wanna always play when they are sitting and resting on the floor.  

Then we came to the east coast and he started playing my game with my cousins...well they get a kick out it too1  So its hard for me to keep telling him not to do that and everyone is laughing and egging him on...this is why my Baby Bug is spoiled.  He is not a bratt but he is spoiled.  I guess thats what happens when your the only little one in the family.  There has to be some fun rather than hearing "no" "dont touch" and "stop" all day. 

Poor Christmas Penguin

My aunt has this little Penguin that sings and dances in a circle when you press its fin.  Most hilarious, loud annoying toy of the year. Of course my Bug LOVES it too! he always picks it up by the hat, drags it around, and places it facing the fire place.  I am sure if that penguin could talk he wold ask me when we are leaving this coast so he will no longer be tormented. With out fail when the penguin is turned on my Bug lights up and laughs the entire time he walks in his circle singing his song. 

Drums

Maybe music is in my Bugs future.

My aunt has a drum in her living room and it has now become my Bugs favorite little toy.  He drags it, carries it and beats on it all the time.  Its really funny because he gets into it, like he can the beat...take a look and enjoy ;o)

Break Down on flight till day 2 of our trip...

I was really anxious to see what my Bugs reaction would be like flying. I got to the airport so very early, was getting on the shuttle and Leonard Roberts walks off and says "ma'am let me help you". I was star truck and in awe this beautiful man was so nice and helping with out me having to ask for help or struggle!

We got in the airport and check in then we had to go through TSA. It wasn't to bad until they checked my Bugs milk that had to travel. I had two sippy cups and two Capri Suns. The milk past inspection just fine, but the capris set off the machine like crazy. It started beeping and flashing "explosive detected" in red all over the screen! I was like um u can just toss them I don't want a hassle and they did but then I got the pat down and got fondled. They kept letting me know I was not traveling with his juice and I kept letting them know it was fine I didn't want the hassle of anything else.

Then we got to the gate and I let the bug run around! He hadn't slept all morning so he was exhausted by the time they let us board. He fell asleep during boarding! Which was awesome because he slept for 2.5 hours. Then he woke up and was restless for an hour, then calmed down for the last hour and just watched the lights out side as we started to land.

We have had the greatest time so far! We went to Washington Union Station shopped and ate lunch. The bug even saw a model train set running.

So far its been an awesome trip, its just COLD! I'm cold all day and night and can't wait to get back to cali's warm arms, but I'm curious to see what the flight home has in store.

 Until then I'm enjoying this time with our family and all that is new my Baby Bug is seeing!

First's in VA

My Bug has been such a big boy on this trip!

He has eaten his first Candy Cane.

And he has sat at the table and eaten breakfast like a big boy!

We are having so much with fun with family, we are enjoying every day!

CHP car seat

When your getting a car seat did you know you can take it to CHP and they will go through a "how to install it correctly course"?

This is pretty neat. If its your first car seat or your third its an amazing service. If you get a good officer they will give u tips and tid bits .

Tid bit I learned you should put your child in their seat in their jacket in their car seat. I kind of figured this but never really thought more about it. Their jackets add to much puff basically. The seat can't restrain them like it was designed and kids get to hot, can't breath as well.

Interesting huh!
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A new allergy

Yesterday my Baby Bug was at his grandpa's and he was playing by the fire place. He kept being instructed not to play near the fire place and his hard headed stubbornness he kept doing what he wasn't suppose to do. He then fell and hit his head. Two nice strawberries bright and big are on his fore head.

Later that night we came home and jumped in our routine, dinner, bath, movie & bed. He ate chicken nuggets and tator tots, bathed with all the same soap, I put neosporin on his cut when I put him n jammies, he drank some milk and fell asleep by 8:24.

I went along my normal routine, cleaning, laundry, laying out outfits for the next day, packing his lunch and diaper bag for the next day. About 10:00 I laid down for the night.

At 11:34 my Bug woke up signing milk, which now he makes the "k" sound with his mouth as he signs milk. He drank about 6ounces and went back to sleep. He was tossing and turning and then he woke up scratching his head. He was whining I wonder why so I turned on the lights to change his diaper. I unzipped his one piece p and found his whole little body covered in hives!

He looked horrible and all I could figure was he was in pain and discomfort. So I threw on a hoodie, slipped on shoes tossed my hair in a ponytail, bundled him up and started driving to urgent care. I also called the advice nurse on the way. I described all his symptoms and told her he had ingested nothing new within 24 hours. She told me he was allergic to something that had been introduced to him. So she instructed me to head to walmart and grab some Bendryl & calmin lotion. She couldn't official diagnose anything being a nurse BUT she was on point! Told me what to look for if it got worse and of course to let his doctor kno what went down.

So we headed to walmart and I called my dad. It was now 1246 and I didn't care. I needed to know everything my Bug had been into that day. Mean while i got my Bug some kids bendryl and lotion. I gave him the bendryl in the parking lot and kept trying to figure out what set him off with my dad on the phone the whole time. By the time we got home his hives had almost completely gone away. I dabbed on some lotion for the rest and he was good.

My bug got some sleep, not in pain and in comfort. I got a power nap. 2am sleep and up again at 4:45. Meanwhile 12hours later my dad and I were still trying to pin point what set him off, we couldn't find one thing! Then as I drove home from work I remembered I put neosporin on him. That was the first time I used the ointment and now the "on the go spray".

Turns out we think that's it! Apparently some people are allergic triple antibiotic ointments. So many people that Kaiser has stopped selling them! The pharmacist said the third thing causes rashes in a lot of people. So now I have to look for a double antibiotic ointment. Don't know the name of what it is that set him off yet but I kno that is the ONLY thing it could have been.

My Baby bug is for sure apart of our family! Almost everyone on my moms side has some sort of allergy or reaction to something so now he has shown us one of what may be many...Bendryl will be in my medicine cabinet from now on and I will know of all the 24hour pharmacy's just in case.
Times like last night are fun to look back on, what did I do I would differently next time. Being a mom, a single mom, an employed mom...I don't hesitate at taking the opportunity to learn and do better in the future for my Bug.
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Check this out

Thank you to Mrs. Jaime i am now a fan of the Home Based Mom blog.

I love the decor the recipes oh my goodness if i could meet this lady just hang out it would be like talking with B. Smith im sure!! 

Take some time to check it out!

Christmas Party!

This weekend we went to the cutest most entertaining Christmas Party I've ever been to, well at least as a mom. It was GREAT really.  I didn't have to find a sitter, my bug had an AMAZING time, i got to enjoy Christmas festivities with great friends and my son.

We got to the party around 4 and things jumped off from exciting from there.  My Bug immediate clicked with a group of 4 year old boys.  They ran, jumped, wrestled, and climbed up and down the stairs almost all night.  Then they started doing crafts.  The older Kids were all into decorating cookies while the little guys where making reindeer crafts. 

Of course my Baby Bugs had to be a little different, before the end of the night he lost an antler but i still love him all the same. 

Then all the kids ate pizza, while my Bug continued to run up the stairs and slid down.  Just as eating pizza came to an end there was a knock at the door.  All the kids looked puzzled as to who could be showing up at the party this late.  The door opened and there he was... Santa! Big red suit, white flowing beard carrying a big red bag of toys. All the kids were shocked! One little boy even asked "Santa how did you know I'd be here!" hahahah

My friend had all the parents bring wrapped gifts and hide them from their kids, so when Santa came he handed out all the goodies from his red bag! It was the cutest thing ever, these kids didn't know HOW Santa pulled that off.  My friend even hired a  photographer to capture all these wonderful moments.  My Bug did well with Santa but he was upset Santa was ruining his play time.  He didn't wanna sit on Santa's lap b/c he wanted to climb up and down the stairs. Of course i made Santa hold him tight so the picture could be captured.

Then Santa handed out gifts and went along his merry way.  As he left i heard another little boys saying "i wish we could have gone out side to see his reindeer".  The photographer then took individual family portraits next to the 11foot Christmas tree of all the family's and groups of friends.  My baby bug was done with pictures and went right back to playing with all the boys, and his Mr. Potato head that Santa brought him ;o)

My friend did an amazing job.  We had a great time and made so many wonderful memories.  I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and i cant wait for someone to do it next year...hey maybe Santa will make an appearance at a Christmas i throw somewhere down the line ;o)

Christmas PIctures: Take 2

So our first try at Christmas pictures with our favorite photographer Auntie KC, didn't go so well this year. We learned the hard way that my Bug is just way to active to sit still or do a confined photo shoot now.

A couple of weeks pasted and I got a coupon in my email for Picture people so i said hey why not try them They were good taking his baby pictures before so why not give it a try, i mean it was a free sitting free for an unlimited amount of people so why not.  This time i brought back up...i had Grandpa, Grammy and uncle dressed to impress and ready to take pictures as well.

The photographer was amazing! She was just the right amount of goofy/silly to get some great shots of my Baby Bug with all his immediate family members.  He fell and bumped his head during our shoot so we gave him some time to pull it all together and then he came back full force with energy and a smile ready to wrap things up.

Then i had to choose between some great photos for cards and his scarp book and then they printed them and i got them that day!

They were a little pricey BUT i got some great photos.  All the places that were cheaper I've tried (JC Pennys, Kidde Candide, Sears) but their pictures didn't come out very well.  If its cheap but i have crappy pictures that doesn't help me.  So i will suffer through only purchasing a few of the pricey ones but them all being amazing!

Here is a preview of some of our 2010 Christmas pictures...shhh its a sneak peak don't tell hehehe ;o)

Cleaning toys

Think its important to disinfect toys every once in a while. I try to do so twice a month.

Toys get dragged all over the floors, and slobbered on by him and friends so its a necessary step. Its real easy the way I do it. I fill the bath tub half way up and two caps of Clorox Bleach and dumb in all the toys that are not electronic or cloth. Then I swish them around for a minute or so and then drain the water. I turn the shower on and spray the toys down to rinse any residue and left over chemical off.

I have a crazy thing about bleach, actually I hate it. The smell and its power just gets to me. But I kno it will kill all the germs so I use it BUT I use it sparingly. And I always do an extra good rinse b/c I don't want my Baby bug ingesting any chemical.

For all the electronic toys I wipe them down with wipes. The wipes that they sell to clean and sterilize breast feeding products. All of those products are "ok" use on items that will be touching babies including things being put in their mouth.
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Play Dough

I made the Baby Bug dough to play with.  I cant call it play dough b/c i forgot the recipe for "play dough" so he got little dough balls to play with. 

I was making snow men out of them and he flattened one and was more fascinated with sticking it on his head!

Next "rain day" we will try one of these Play Dough Recipes...ill update everyone then.

Its Christmas time!

For all those who personally know me you KNOW this is my favorite season of the year. God is just in the air everywgere, Egg nog, sweets every day, decorations, family and friends and fellowship...i HEART Christmas time. 

My best friend says i am "spastic excited" this time of year.  Apparently i have passed that on to my Baby Bug through my genes because he loves Christmas time so far!

I was decorating the house and he followed me around all morning.  I would put up a snowflake or garland and he was stop and stare at it looking up saying "oooooooo". Then he tried to reach it to grab it and couldn't and got mad.  At first i thought he was excited at something new being put up but them i got wise. He just noticed it was something new to try and get in to mess with, but then everything was to high so he got frustrated. 

I wasn't gonna put up a tree this year, but my boss said that was unheard of with a child in my house during Christmas season, so she gifted me a baby artificial tree.  I have NEVER had an artificial tree but its kind cool. So next yera when i buy a tree i will have a decor tree and a real tree...im excited for this year and next year.

This season we went to his Grammy Auntie's house and meant up with two of his cousins and helped decorate the Christmas Tree.  FUNNIEST THING EVER. 

1. My 3yr old niece wanted every bulb she was given to be hung on one tree branch.  This little girl had 8 bulbs on the branch at one time.  My God mom said "honey lets spread them out" my niece then replied "no no gandma they all go on this tree i need more" LOL

2. My Baby Bug saw her bulbs on the tree and when he back was turned he took one off and threw it before she noticed.  She had issues with this of course and she jumped in his face and said "NO DEBIN STOP", and then low and behold he did it again, he laughed and she was pissed.  THEN my Baby bug got bold, he took one bulb off the tree and started running in the other direction.   My niece saw him running and full on two hand tackled him to the ground on the right side.  He had the bulb in his right hand and then when she wasnt looking he switched it up and moved it to the left hand so she couldnt get to it.  Once again she was pissed and he was laughing hysterically.

3. Then Grammy Auntie decided to show my Baby Bug how to decorate the tree.  She put a bulb on and he take it off.  Then she gave him a bulb to put on the tree and he hit another bulb with it, they were plastic so they wouldn't break in his hands. She then gave him a bulb and showed him again and then threw it in the tree, it landed on a branch and looked like it was hanging so he clapped like yayaya i did it and asked for another so he could do it again...such a boy HAHA.

The kids got tired of decorating the tree and then moved on to playing with the life sized nut cracker dolls. If the Baby Bug had been left with the nut cracker doll it would have been dead and destroyed in a day. 

All in all its been a good holiday season so far and i CANT WAIT for more Family, Fellowship & Friends! 

Toy Corner

Last night i took the time to clean "Toy corner" and it looks pretty good now. 

Toy corner is the corner of my living room where all my Baby Bugs toys are kept.  It had to be cleaned and sorted thoroughly.  During the day his corner explodes and makes these crazy gauntlets all over my living room so now was the time to get in there and make things happen. 

Before #2

Before #1

I waited until he was with Grandpa for the evening and then i went through everything in one quick swoop!

I am greatful for everything that was given to me, it was all a blessing to help and aid in his growth and develpoment, so i have choosen to keep the gift of giving.  I gave some stuff to a friend who has a baby boy who needs the same stimulating mind grow toys, and then i gave some to Child and Family Services. 

If you didn't know this is a great place to doonate things.  Old clothes, bottles, toys and all other sorts of goodies.  They have kids that arent in "good" places and have to be removed from their homes and placed with other family members or foster families.  In between the time of being removed and being placed in a new environment their Social Worker has to take care of them, and genreally they are in an office during this time.  Those workers need bottles, toys and clothes to help these kids in transit.  I am thankful that any little thing i can do to aid in someones life can make a difference.  Especially a child who might need an outift, a clean bottle, or even a stuff animal to take with them through what can be a very emotional time in their life. 

At church last week a seed was planted in mind to really think locally and not solely globally when i am thinking of those who would appreciate assistance.  During this season i think we should not only give back but put some thought in our gifts and giving, anyone can sign their name on a check, or throw their pocket change in a bucket. When spend a little more time you can find all sorts of ways to help...even if you a busy super woman ;o).  Another plus i now have a clean toy corner!

Lovely clean toy corner

 

Butterfly

I have has this Nicole C Mullen CD for YEARS and one song on it has always spoken to me.  Butterfly.  Now that i have a Little one i really want to pass these words on to him, so i share her words with you today maybe they will touch someone else as well!

Not yet a woman and certainly not a child
But I was caught somewhere in the middle
On that one Friday afternoon
And I, I remember mama saying, "It's time for you to go
Go out on and change the world and become
All that you have dreamed of"
And as the tears that she was crying
Fell from her face and shoulders she said
"Don't forget who you are child, where you
Come from, where you're goin'
'Cause I'm always gonna be here for you
Fighting in your corner
So with every bow you take
Take one for those that came before you"

Now I'm a woman and I've got a child
And I can't believe the day's gonna come
When she tells me that it's time to soar
And I don't know what I'm gonna do
Not sure what I'm gonna tell her
Maybe don't forget who you are child
Where you come from, where you're going
'Cause I'm always gonna be here for you
Fighting in your corner
So with every bow you take
Take one for those that came before ya

Fly, Fly Butterfly Fly
Stand upon these two shoulders of mine
Spread those wings of yours and fly

There is something sacred
About the letting go of those we want to hold
So tightly to, but somehow we know
They must move on
On for those who have a dream to make our future better
And on for those who will earn their wings
In spite of wind and weather
You tell 'em love is waiting there
Forever in their corner
So with every bow they take
They'll take one for those that came before them

Fly, Fly Butterfly Fly
Stand upon these two shoulders of mine
Spread those wings of yours and fly

Shoes that Blink

We have a routine set. 
Dinner done by 7:30
Bath time from 7:30 til how ever long it takes him to be done splashing around in the tub
Then bed time between 8 and 9

I put him in his bed, when he goes to sleep and close the door so when he wakes up in the middle of the night he can not escape and run wild in my apt.  Right now we share a room so when he wakes up i can hear him.  He normally comes over to my bed whines a little then i pick him up change his diaper he signs milk and he gets 6 ounces and then off to sleep he goes again until about 7 am.


Last night my Bug woke up and i heard him, but thought he was going back to sleep.  I didn't move a muscle but i opened my eyes and i see all sorts of blinking lights lighting up my dark room.  Blue, green, red yellow just a rainbow of lights.  I thought i was going nuts so i opened my eyes with a confused look on my face, narrow down the point in my room where these lights are coming from and then i see my Bug in the corner. It took me a few seconds to figure out what he was doing so i was confused and puzzled for a kool minute. 

He had gotten out of his bed and grabbed his new Toy Story tennis shoes.  They light up when you walk.  SO he started playing with them in the dark.  I guess they were cooler in the dark. 

i think i will be looking at beds with rails now.

A spoon

Biggest accomplishment of the day...my little bug eats with utensils.

He doesn't get it straight in or even kno how to get all the food off the spoon, but he is doing it! The spoon goes in side ways and he dumbs it in and goes to the bowl for more Hahaha

So now into the adventures of feeding our self...
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