Let's work on Language Development

Parents as Teachers visited yesterday and pretty much told us what we already knew: Ben is a baby of few words.

PAT is a free program through local public school districts that makes home visits and evaluates children from birth to three years old. They check off reached milestones and suggest learning games and activities to get kids and families started on the right track. I always appreciate the suggestions and highly recommend the program.

There are four areas of evaluation: Motor, Intellectual, Social and Language and for kids 14-24 months Ben is doing great in every area... except language. His motor skills are on par with most two-year-olds. He shows great patients and intellect in problem solving, but he's still a baby of few words.

He currently says, "duh." for both dad and dog - and we should all admit it's a little ironic that he interchanges the same word for Chuck and Brandy. He says, "key," for kitty and that's about it for real words. He also says, "goya goya" and "githem" and "booya booya booya booya booya booya ish".

Most kids his age have a vocabulary of 20 or more words. Take Evie, she commentates on everything Ben does and she's six weeks younger. He was pointing to her eye - ok, trying to poke her eye - and she sat there patiently saying, "Eye. Eye. Eye."  As Ben slides down the stairs at lightning speed, she says, "Wow." this is especially funny because she uses a mom voice drawing out her vowels like she's really proud of him.

Despite Ben's short list of words, I'm not concerned. Ben seems to understand what's going on around him and he consistently signs "please." He even sweeps his hand across his chest when Brandy comes between him and a favorite toy. He sits down when I ask him to and he runs away when I say, "It's time to change your diaper."

I'm sure he's learning and knows more than I recognize. It's probably just a matter of time before he's asking me 400 questions a day and I'm longing for these days of sweet silence - or semi-silence. Until then, we'll keep practicing. Where's Duh?
  

Let the Games Begin

The Olympics are always exciting. It's fun to think that the entire world is participating in the same event and it's amazing to see what these athletes are capable of.

This morning Chuck lamented that the games will be broadcast during CST. At some point, I'm sure I'll learn to stop asking why, but I just haven't learned this lesson yet. I'm like a dog that keeps running into the invisible fence - buzz.

He proceeded to tell me that he couldn't pretend to be an Olympic expert and reminded me of one of our first fights. It seems fitting to remember giant fights the day before Valentines Day, so here we go.

The summer games were in full swing back in 2004 and Athens was playing host to the event. This is significant, because that meant events took place approximately 20 hours before they were broadcast in good ol' Independence.

Chuck had spent the previous week reading Olympic results before he watched the broadcast with me. He'd then make predictions, or spout off lesser-known rules of swimming guidelines saying things like, "I think that was an illegal turn. He's going to be disqualified."

Sure enough, all of his predications came to pass. I thought he was an Olympic genius. We had barely been dating a year and I was young and foolishly in love, hence my hanging on his every word.

We were having dinner with friends and I was really talking him up. "Chuck is so smart. He knew the favorite was going to be disqualified."

They played along for a while, "Really?"

"Oh yeah, he's guessed almost every single event correctly. I can't believe he knows so much about the Olympics!"

Snickering.

"What's going on?"

Someone finally let me in on the secret and I was hot. "You're not a Olympic genius, you're a lying genius!" Five and half years later I find his deception more amusing. Yes, I'm an easy target. I have this bad habit of believing what people tell me.

Luckily, there's no need to worry this time, because the games are broadcast in Central Standard Time. Three cheers for the Olympics and three cheers for truth.

We watched the Opening Ceremony last night and it was amazing. The music, dancing, and special effects were all incredible. Although, one oddity stood out. There were two pregnant women in the greeting line of native people. 

There were probably 100 or more people dressed in white sweaters and skirts or pants - depending on their gender - who lined a path for the athletes to enter the center. They danced around and at least two of them were pregnant. These two just happened to be in the background of the close up camera shots on athletes entering. So, you're looking at Shaun White and the top right section of the screen is a bouncing baby bump. Check out NBC's Olympics site to see the dancers. (I couldn't find a close up of the knocked up dancers.)   

I kept seeing pregnant bellies dancing around and it was very distracting. "How many medals has that person won? I couldn't concentrate because of that giant dancing pregnant belly."

Did anyone else see it, and does anyone else think that's weird? I remember being pregnant and I couldn't have danced like that for an hour at seven months. I would have passed out or gone into labor - both are disruptive.

On a more serious note, we send our heartfelt condolences to Nodar Kumaritashvili's family and teammates. We are truly heartbroken for their loss.

Sar-ah-Thon 2010

Today is SG's actual b-day, but true to tradition, she's been celebrating since Saturday. She's received some amazing gifts including a hot air balloon ride and custom earrings. You can read about all of the festivities here.

I joined her at el Patron and Ernie Biggs Saturday night and have only a few specific comments about the evening. (This party has been covered extensively already.)

Ernie Biggs: The piano bar was fun and they played eight of my 10 song requests including the birthday girl's top two picks: Summer of 69 and Lady Humps (sometimes referred to as My Humps), but the pianists were better musicians than singers. Ok I'll say it, they were shouting and off key, which was both distracting and freeing. I didn't feel quite as offensive with my own out-of-tune voice seeing as everyone was off. 

The Cake: This is the second year SG requested a birthday cake from the woman who made her wedding cake. It's strawberry with a super-secret almond icing and heavenly. Until next year, Cake.

Truth Serum: SG took a little heat for this and AA covered all of the details on her blog. It suffices to say that SG, out of love and probably margaritas, gave everyone a healthy dose of honesty. She handed out advice on everything from health to relationships and you know, she was pretty much right on the money.

I like "Honest SG", as I now call her. And I hope I don't have to wait another year to get these little truth treasures. So SG, if you're reading, keep up the good work, you've got a knack.



  

Monkey See Monkey Do

Kids are notorious for proving their parents wrong. If you say, "Oh, he never eats that," be prepared to eat your words.

Ben proved me wrong twice this weekend. He spent Saturday night with Aunt D and Uncle J and his cousins, CJ (3) and NW (17 months) and Sunday we went over as a family to watch the Superbowl.

Saturday night I told D to have Ben do everything her boys did: dinner, bath, milk, bed. She specifically asked, "Can he take a bath with the boys?" And I specifically answered, "Oh yeah, he loves bathes."

And he does. This kid loves water and wails any time you try to remove him from water of any source: the bath, pool, hose, dog bowl, toilet, anything.

Well, that night Ben didn't love the bath. In fact, he hated it. I was told he stood the entire time angrily and urgently signing 'please' and then lifting his hands as if to say, "Please pick me up NOW!"

Sunday night, NW asked for a banana and D gave him one while she informed me that the only way he'll eat bananas is if he can hold it himself. The next thing I know, NW is happily sitting on D's hip holding and eating a banana. He looked like a baby monkey.

Ben was happily sitting on my hip watching NW eat his banana. As I said, "Ben hates bananas no matter how I serve them," Ben pointed one little finger at the bunch and signed 'please'. I tried to remind him that he hates bananas, but D said, "Let him try it."

So I did. And he loved it. And there we were, with our baby monkeys on our hips eating their bananas.

I found Ben's habit of proving me wrong irritating at first, but now I think I can use it to my advantage. Just like everyone else, Ben is motivated by his peers and this is my new key to encouraging good behavior.

We have not completely transitioned from a bottle to a cup. Ben drinks water and juice from a sippy cup, regular cup and a cup with a straw just fine, but when it comes to his milk, it can only be a bottle. I'm going to arrange bedtime with his older cousins again. We're going to make a big deal about how everyone gets milk in a cup and hopefully he'll drink it.

It seems strange to think that someday I'll be advocting against peer pressure, but right now, I'm using it.

Just Smile

Lately I've been writing about my poor parenting skills. And while usually my skills are somewhat lacking, I've got a good piece of parenting advice today. It isn't mine. Michelle Duggar, matriarch of 19 Kids and Counting, gives this advice often. Are you ready, because it's revolutionary?

Smile at your children.

I'm guessing people who don't have children are saying, "duh." But seriously, sometimes you have to remind yourself to smile and it really makes a difference.

Ben is 15 months old and the littlest things break his heart. If I tell him bathtime is over he bursts into tears. If Grammy gathers her coat to leave, he gets fussy. Sometimes I look at him and wonder how he survives so many mini crisis every single day.

Luckily, a smile and hug go a long way to mend these wounds. So remember, smile at your children.

Fashion vs Function

I'm always a tiny bit envious of those moms whose children always look so put together. Their daughters' ponytails are perfect and their sons' sleeves are jam-free.

Ben never looks that put together. He always has bed-head by the end of the day there's definitely food on his clothes.

For a while I blamed him, but now I realize this is my fault. I found this picture yesterday while I was looking for photos of Sharkey. I remember this day. We were totally out of clean clothes and hadn't purchased a fall jacket yet. So Ben ended up wearing this lovely outfit.

Yes, he's is wearing horizontally striped pants, smurf-blue socks, and a fleece dog jacket complete with a bone for a zipper. And yes, I dressed him. Although, when our babysitter mentioned his outfit, I told her Chuck picked it out and we both had a good laugh.

Just like anything else, looking neat and tidy takes planning, specifically planning to do the laundry. In this case, I failed to do that. It also takes planning to purchase the appropriate outerwear for the season. I also failed to do this.

So, as I was riffling though his drawers and weighing our options - the pants you see or swim trunks - I was faced with the choice: Do I let my son look good and be cold, or be warm and look bad? I chose warmth over fashion... and opted to photograph his misfortune.

Goodbye Sharkey

Sharkey's been gone for about six weeks and he's officially settled in to his new home. Since there's no chance of him ever coming back, I thought it only appropriate to give him proper goodbye.

I took Sharkey up to FVH to declaw his back feet. When I dropped him off, one of the vet techs said, "So the front claws weren't enough?"

No, the front claws weren't enough. This crazy kitty climbs the walls - literally. He also eats Ben's food and bites my neck. He jumps in the full bathtub and tears through the house soaking wet. He chews the tops off of pacifiers and bottle nipples earning him the nickname: Pacifier Assassin. He's also helps himself to our dinner waiting on the table. More than once I've seen his little face whisker-deep in mashed potatoes.

He's a crazy cat! We could pull all his teeth and it wouldn't be enough!

I asked my parents if Sharkey could stay at FVH for a few days while he recovered so I didn't have to deal with keeping him quiet and the special litterbox instructions and of course they said yes.

Then I did the unthinkable, something I've always hated, something I've called inexcusable. I dumped my cat at the animal hospital.

People do this more often than you'd think. They drop off Sadie for a spay and say, "We'll pick her up tomorrow." The next thing you know it's been a week and their phone's disconnected.

I have no room in my heart for irresponsible pet owners and honestly, I never set out to dump Sharkey. It just happened. It had been four days and my mom said, "Everyone up at work loves your little cat. He keeps us in stitches all day."

"What cat? Oh yeah, Sharkey. Funny, I didn't even miss him."

My mom said, "Everybody wants to take him home - Teresa, Holly, everyone."

Then I said it, "They can have him." And just like that, I'd dumped a pet. I decided I was never going to pick that cat up and I didn't. I didn't even go tell him goodbye.

Now, he lives with Teresa and his new name is Archie. She says he's a great cat and that her other cat and dog love him. He sleeps with her every night and even won over her husband. Well, good for Sharkey, er... Archie. By the way, he likes mashed potatoes and dry Cheerios.

Six More Weeks of Winter

Well ol' Phil saw his shadow yesterday and that means six more weeks of winter. I can hear SG saying now, "Jerk groundhog."

I was disappointed the thought of six more frigid weeks, so I made a list of six fun wintry things to do. These are the things I long for by the time the thermometer reaches 101 in August.

1. Enjoy some Hot Chocolate. I love hot chocolate and wish I could drink it year round. Land o Lakes makes delicious flavored hot chocolate that you can buy in single-serving packages. Try raspberry, mint or carmel. Yum!

2. Go to a Movie. I loved going to movies during the summer when I was younger. It was always so cold in the theatre and it felt so good after being so hot. But the reverse is true in the winter. Wear a scarf, sneak in some hot chocolate and enjoy a flick.

3. Take in a Hockey Game. Independence opened a new events center last November and it's home to the Missouri Mavericks, a minor league hockey team that's major league fun. The games are exciting and the sound track is awesome (think Guns 'n Roses and Miley Cyrus). Get their schedule and tickets here.

4. Splurge on Comfort Food. Comfort foods are so delicious and taste best when it's cold outside. Fix some chili, roast with potatoes and carrots, or creamy broccoli soup and remember that this is the best time of year to enjoy these tasty meals. Here's Rachael Ray's latest take on chili - Barbecued Chili.

5. Cuddle up by the Fire. Make a date with your love, grab a new CD (or an old favorite) and a blanket, flip on the fire (assuming it's gas - this may involve building a real fire) and cuddle up. I know this sounds corny, but it's a nice escape from the routine and a great way to reconnect.

It's fun to listen to old music and think about life when that song was on the radio. Maybe you were in college, moving to a new city, or just falling in love. And it's fun to discover new music and daydream about what you want to do next. I'm always surprised by what Chuck says when we do this. I've heard really productive things like build shelves for our garage and I've heard what I'll call "other" like start a band. No matter what, it's fun to see what they're thinking and dream a little.

6. Get Outside. Seriously, it was 50 degrees yesterday. Bundle up, collect anyone you'd like to accompany you. I suggest the baby, dog, cat, husband, or neighbor (even the neighbor's baby) and go on a walk. The cool air and sunshine will feel great!

Farewell to Arti Gras

We celebrated Arti's birthday Saturday night in style and apparently this was the last of one of our favorite annual events - Arti Gras.

Every year, Arti celebrates her birthday in a show-stopping style so incredible, it feels like everyone's birthday. To read the complete history of Arti Gras, click here.

And this year's event was truly amazing. It included dinner (I don't know how good that was because I forgot to go. We had Sonic in the car on the way), dancing at Angels Rock Bar, out-of-town guests flying in from NYC for one night for fun, apparently there was a fight over a coat and they may or may not have ended up on COPS. Basically, in the words of Barney Stinson, "It was Legendary."

Here are my Top Five Favorite Moments from Arti Gras - The Finale:

1. Spilling the Beans: I had joined the party late and hadn't been there five minutes when I managed to tell the birthday girl her husband's gift before he'd given it to her. Arti was listing all of her fantastic gifts including: giant chewy nerds, a fleece blanket with kittens on it, and iTunes gift cards when she said, "What did Sudhir get me?" I offered my help and answered, "He got you that iPod cover." She looked excited and guilty at the same time and said, "He hasn't given it to me yet." Apparently he wanted her to have a gift to open on her actual b-day. Oops. She swore she'd look surprised.

2. Sid Singing: Angels Rock Bar is Sid's kind of place and he knew the words to every song. Sometimes he even wrote his own lyrics. I've been singing, "I can only count to four. I can only count to four..." for days now. Sorry Drowning Pool, I like his lyrics better.

3. Meeting Arti and Sid's Cousins: They were super fun. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"I love coming to Kansas City because I get hit on so much more than in NY."

"Have you been talking to Arti? How did you know all that? Isn't

this a good cowboy shirt?"

I realize we need a more explanation, but nothing further will be given to protect the innocent.

4. A Homewrecker Trying to Steal My Man: A cute, although wasted, girl set her blurry sights on Chuck. She put her arm around him, told him she was a nurse, and invited him to do a shot with her. She also climbed over other guys to talk to him more than once.

I think Chuck was flattered by the attention. He said, "She was pretty cute, but she cursed like a sailor." You can always count on Chuck for an honest evaluation.

5. My Friends Fight the Homewrecker: Ok, there wasn't an actual fight. And honestly, seeing a girl so obviously interested in Chuck was kind of an adventure. We're old, married and have a baby. Neither of us have been a stranger's subject of interest for a long time.

But there was a situation and my marriage was on the line. I was going to have to fight for my man. As I was sizing up my competition, trying to decide if I could win this fight - ok, I was daydreaming about how sweet it would be if I actually could fight someone - when my friends took matters into their own hands.

SG marched forward and flat out pushed the homewrecker out of the way so she could sit next to Chuck. Then, Kate climbed over her and essentially sat on her lap slowly edging her out of the booth. And just to make sure she was properly handled, Cec

talked to her for about an hour, discussing the finer points of "how big is too big" when it comes to breast augmentation.

I know it was Arti's party, but I really feel like I got the best gift. I have awesome friends and I'm glad they'll ruff a girl up on my behalf. Thanks ladies!