January seemed to drag on FOREVER! We didn't have anywhere to go and without big things on the schedule, it was just a long (yet relaxing!) month for us. Some snippets of our month...
January 1: I enjoyed rocking Little B to sleep as usual. But, it felt extra special after a really cranky and sleepy kid tossed and turned on me forever and finally snuggled in just the right spot to settle in. When he gets in a mood like that, his favorite way to cuddle is often to be extremely close and have our heads touching. I sat there just rocking and rocking feeling his breath on my chest. It's the sweet little moments like that which will be treasured forever.
To start off our week back at home, I took Little B to the doctor for his 12 month checkup. What fun. He got shots and two blood draws. Unfortunately, we discovered he has veins like his momma and so it was very hard to find one to draw from and then they didn't get enough blood the first time so they had to go back for more. Needless to say, Momma and him cuddled plenty that day. Then there was my need to be cuddled. I hurt my hip to the point I could hardly walk. Certainly makes me feel bad because my leg was killing me to the point of not being able to move and I had to take off work for the day, but Daddy B couldn't take off that evening. Being the determined mom I am, I was going to take care of Little B at the house. Unfortunately, to do so, I had to lay on the couch for two hours while Little B watched tv so he wouldn't wander throughout the house. I felt like I was slowly killing off his braincells because I never let him zone that long - not even close! But, yesterday, he and Little K were reading books on the floor together, so I think he's okay! And so is Momma B after some anti-inflamatory steroids and muscle relaxers. All is better at the B household again!
The biggest day for Little B was by far January 15 when he played in the snow for the very first time. We had an absolute ball. He cried when he landed face first because he didn't know what to think; then he cried when we came in because he wasn't done. Since then, he stands and stares out the window and will turn around and voice his desire to go outside. In the past couple weeks, it's actually got above the teens and twentys that temperatures have been at for months, so he's been able to go out a few more times and had a ball. One of those trips, (January 24), his daddy was inside because Little K was suppossed to be going down for a nap and he was monitoring. Daddy B was making faces at Little B from inside the house and Little B was smiling and said Daddy, Daddy. It was so adorable! Later that night, he had another first...pooping in the tub. Boy was that fun to clean. Somehow, Daddy B was not the one in charge and missed the fun of cleaning that. Hmmm...plotted by the boys?
Then, we got our first COMPLETE big boy haircut the day before he turned 13 months old. Remember, we had attempted a full haircut back at Thanksgiving, but Grammy and I were unsuccessful so I gave him reprieve for two months. Our second attempt was a success! Mommy cuddled him while he had his beautiful long bangs trimmed up (and the back of his neck). He definitely clung to his momma, but the only part he cried at was when the hair stylist used a big powder brush to get the loose hair off him. He definitely looks like a big boy now!
Toddlerhood has definitely begun because the way he throws fits has reached a whole new level. We now have a child that cries at the top of his lungs and will throw himself down on the ground. Such fun...Time outs have begun due to this. We need to get a time out chair because at this point we are still using the crib to contain him and I don't want him growing confused and thinking bedtime is punishment. On that note, I read The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Gentle Ways to Stop Bedtime Battles and Improve Your Child's Sleep out of desperation to get my kid to sleep more. He was sleeping 10.5-12 hours TOTAL per day whereas he should be sleeping 13.5-14. Now, I realize Little B has always slept less than he should from day one. However, the night wakings and late bedtimes had gotten out of hand. Though I think we probably do have a child that is about to cut down to one nap, we have increased his sleep to 12.5-13 hours per day. That's a huge feet in two weeks time. Though I don't feel like much of that help came from the book other than making sure to have a schedule that he sticks to within thirty minutes. Unfortunately, despite being marketed for kids over 12 months, most of the tips were only helpful for 2 and up which still leaves us with a kid that doesn't nap and night wakes. But, one step at a time...We actually have evenings to ourselves again!
And last but not least, we had one year pictures done. I decided to go with someone in our home. Since the price wasn't that much more than going to Penney's and buying the disc that I always get, what's the downside?! Instead of twenty minutes, I have an hour; I don't have to take him out of his comfortable environment; and they are the unposed pictures that I tend to prefer. It's a win-win! And that it was as evidenced below... (credit to MonWood Photography. Sara did an awesome job working with Little B. He warmed up to her in no time and the pictures are absolutely priceless). Warning...VERY photo heavy!
Little B's favorite thing to play with....the washer/dryer.
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