Funny Photos...

Yes, he is trying to eat the recliner.

What can you do, though, when it makes him really happy?

Usually when we put Aric in his jumperoo we make an effort to pull down his pant legs. We missed doing it the other day and the result...

He looks like he's wearing lederhosen.

What a Big Boy!

I stole borrowed this picture from my friend, Sarah. Aric and I went to the hospital yesterday to see Sarah and baby Blake. I can't believe that 7-1/2 months ago Aric was the baby everyone was visiting. Now he's the "big boy".

Plumber Extraordinaire

Ryan and I are able to laugh about this now, but at the time tensions were high.

Yesterday the septic guy came and pumped our tank. This did not fix the problem since there was still a clog in the pipes. I called RotoRooter and found out that it would be $155 and someone could come out that day. I then called Ryan at work and asked him if I should go ahead and schedule the plumber. He told me to call and rent an auger and he would do it himself.

Now for a little back story, we did this last time and still had to call RotoRooter to fix the problem. Moving on...

I, being the doubting good wife that I am, went to the rental place and brought home an auger. I called Ryan to let him know that I had the auger at home and to be prepared to work on that. (Can you see how good of a wife I was last night?) Ryan came home, started working on the pipes, and it did not go well. At one point he thought he had it fixed, ran a bunch of water, and overflowed the lines again. It smelled foul, but thankfully the wet vac was already in the house. He made me wear his gloves and snake the line while he went outside to listen. He even made himself a sandwich and went upstairs to read more about it on the Internet. Meanwhile, I'm fixing dinner tallying in my head how much this is going to cost: $200 to pump the septic tank + $48 for supplies to reset the toilet (it needed more than just a wax ring) + $58 to rent the auger + $155 to have RotoRooter come out hopefully tomorrow to fix the problem. As Ryan said later, "The night was not looking good at Chez Peters."

Ryan came downstairs with a renewed sense of purpose and was able to break through the clog and solve our problems. We had dinner and then cleaned up the house. There is still more to do, since resetting the toilet is not as easy as just installing a new wax ring, but there's an end in sight and I can shower longer than 2 minutes again.

We did laugh about how "the night was not looking good at Chez Peters" and that this was something that could've been brought up repeatedly over the next 15 years. Ahhh, domestic bliss!

What is so Interesting?

Last night was the first night all week that Aric slept the whole night through. He was asleep by 8pm and didn't wake up until 7am, when I woke him up to eat. (He must have been worn out from the lack of sleep, too.) I remember Ryan waking me up at 4:30am to ask if I wanted him to bring Aric in to eat. I also remember telling him no and rolling over to fall asleep. I didn't wake up again until 7am. It was wonderful! I'm still tired, but I feel better than I have felt all week.

We're halfway back to getting our plumbing fixed. This seems to be a once a year problem and it is not pleasant. I've showered at work, taken two minute showers at home, made multiple trips outside to dump dishwater, bathwater, etc... I am glad that we normally have working plumbing and don't have to worry about making this our routine! Hopefully we can get the problem completely resolved tonight, tomorrow at the latest.

Aric had his second day of childcare yesterday. Ms. Autumn said that he did really well all day and didn't cry once. When I arrived at the end of the day, he was sitting on the floor playing next to another little girl who is 12 months old. Aric is the same size as this girl, if not a little bigger. I guess I don't have to worry that she'll bully him!

Everyday I can see Aric get a little closer to being able to crawl. He can low-crawl now. He also rocks on his hands and knees quite often. In addition, I have seen Aric sit back up from a crawling position. I am still awestruck by how babies make such huge changes developmentally in a matter of weeks.


What is so interesting?



We've seen this pose quite a few times in the last couple of days since Ryan bought Aric some Baby Einstein DVDs. I'm not sure what it is about them, but Aric is definitely captivated. (Well, for 5 minutes or so.)

Sleep-Deprivation and Plumbing Woes

I have not slept a full night through during the past week. For some reason Aric has been waking up several times every night. I'm really not sure what his problem is. I keep checking his mouth to see if he's getting more teeth, but no sign yet. He has slept alot in our bed because I'm so tired I fall asleep while he's eating. I really feel like I am going through the motions of my day right now since I'm sleep-deprived again. Hopefully whatever is going on will calm down soon. I'm not sure if it's a growth-spurt/hunger issue, because every time he wakes up he'll eat and then fall back asleep. It's amazing how a full night's sleep is easily taken for granted.

Thank you for all of your suggestions for our bath situation. Right now finding a solution is on hold for a bit, because our plumbing is on the fritz. (It's a long story about a failed lateral field and a full septic tank. I'll spare you the details.) Until we get the plumbing back in order, Aric's bathtub will have to work. At least we can throw the bath water out into the yard when we use the toddler tub. Last night I sat on the floor right next to Aric while he played in the baby bath. He pulled up on the side, turned around in the tub, and splashed till his heart's content. Sitting right next to him will have to be my solution until we can actually put water down the drain again.

Multi-Tasking

**UPDATE**
This is the tub that we have been using. Ryan was going to try to search today for something we can use for Aric.

**ORIGINAL ENTRY**
I have always been a huge multi-tasker. I need it in my job and it has always been helpful in my personal life. Until now...

Every night I give Aric a bath and let him play for awhile. He still uses an infant/toddler bath tub that I just set in the tub. While he is splashing water everywhere playing with his bath toys, I stay in the bathroom and wash my face, brush my teeth, etc. I didn't think it was a bad thing to do other things in the same room since I'm constantly watching him so he doesn't drown, until tonight. I was midway through flossing my teeth, leaning against the counter watching Aric at the time, when he decides to pull himself up on the side of the toddler tub and face plant into the actual tub. The whole thing was in slow-motion, but not more than a few seconds. I felt so bad as I scooped him up, checked for blood/injuries, and comforted him. Ryan came running up the stairs to check on us. Aric is fine, but I don't think I'll try to brush my teeth and wash my face while he's bathing anymore.

Which leads me to my dilemma... He's getting too big for the infant/toddler tub but just seems so small for the actual tub and the tub seems so slippery and huge. I haven't found anything yet that seems like it will work. I can't use another tub because he's pulling up now and Ryan will kill me if I stick those flower things in the bottom of the tub. (You know what I'm talking about.) Any ideas on what I can use to keep Aric safe in the big, wide tub? I've been to two Wal-Marts and one Target searching for an answer, but with no results yet.

Daycare

Today was Aric's first day at daycare and I almost cried on the way to work after dropping him off. I felt so silly, too. It's not like this was my first day to leave him, I've been back at work for five months now. I am happy with Miss Autumn and really think Aric will thrive there with the other children. It was just his first day of daycare.

Since I returned to work, Aric has been with either Ryan or Laura while I work and maybe an occasional day with a friend. In addition, all of his care has been one-on-one care. Now he's with 5 to 6 other kids which means he won't always be the center of attention. I know that's good for him, I don't want him growing up thinking he's the most important person in the world, however, I want him to get some attention and to feel loved. Daycare- it's just a word I'm going to have to get past. At least I have a three day break until he goes back.

Miss Autumn said that Aric had a good day. It was his first time to really spend a day around other children. He cried twice when other children were crying, because he seemed confused as to what was going on. Of course we have some kinks to work out: how much food he eats during the day (he was given less food than he normally eats), what the schedule for the day will be like (mommy left the house too early and had to sit in the car in a nearby parking lot and wait for 10 minutes) and the worst- we left his favorite pacifier at daycare.

Like Father, Like Son...

I have a feeling this picture will become more of a common occurrence the older Aric gets.

Aric is seven months old today. It's hard to believe that exactly seven months ago today Aric had been in my arms for less than an hour and he was over ten pounds lighter!

It's amazing how big he is and the ways in which he has changed in the past seven months. Just to name a few:

-He has his two lower front teeth. Just a week ago today they were breaking through the gums, making him a miserable little boy. They are definitely visible now when he opens his mouth.

-He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth. Aric is definitely working hard to figure out how to crawl.

-Anytime anyone or anything is nearby he reaches out and tries so hard to pull himself up. He also reaches up when he wants to be picked up, and leans forward when it's time to get out of his high chair.

-He is able to feed himself cheerios. He can also hold his own bottle and feed himself.

Update on My Week and the Mad Search for Daycare

Ryan and I had a wonderful anniversary last night. We kind of laughed about how old we are because we were home and asleep by 9:30. I guess that's what having a baby and jobs that require you to be up early in the morning will do to you. Laura came over to watch Aric. (I felt a little bad because he was clingy due to those two teeth coming in and the four shots he was the recipient of at the doctor's office.) Ryan and I went to dinner at Chilis (thanks Dad and Mom)and then walked around the mall. I was able to return a pair of jeans I ordered from the Gap with one of my Christmas gifts and get a sweater and pants instead for only $.80 more. That was nice to do without the distraction of a baby and Ryan entertained himself in the bookstore so I didn't feel rushed. Then we had desert at Applebee's and went home. It was great having some time together- just the two of us.

Aric did have his six month checkup yesterday (which was more like seven months since they scheduled it so late). My chunky monkey weighs 18lbs 11oz and as far as the length we're a little unsure. They measure his length by making him lay on the paper on the table and making marks at the top of his head and the bottom of his foot, then they measure that distance. It doesn't work right when he reaches down and tears the middle section of paper out while she was measuring his head. The doctor laughed when she saw that measurement compared to the prior measurements. I can tell you he's longer than 26 inches and we've had to raise the height of his Jumparoo. The doctor confirmed that he is cutting two teeth on the bottom. Aric also went right up to his knees when the doctor put him on his belly. She said we should get the house baby-proofed sooner rather than later.

My supervisor called me to see if I could possibly come in and work part of the day today. I told her that if I came in Aric would have to come with me, because he has nowhere to go. (And I really don't think it's right for Ryan to take off time at work just so I can work extra.) She pulled some strings to arrange it so I could have Monday off to be with Aric and look for a sitter, making me feel a little indebted to her. However, I have enough trouble finding someone to watch him when I work much less look for a sitter on the days I don't work. My family has to come before my job and I refuse to feel bad about the situation. I would've brought Aric in with me today with some toys. He could have played on the floor!

I found daycare for Aric. Thanks to Amy for setting me on the path to finding the right person. If there was a prize you would definitely be the winner!

On Monday, I contacted one of my coworkers whose wife has an in-home daycare. She said she would consider taking on Aric two days a week and wanted to meet with me on Tuesday. That night she called and told me that her (babies') parents weren't comfortable with her taking on another baby and she wouldn't be able to watch Aric. Honestly, I wasn't sure how comfortable I was having him go there because she did sound over-extended, but I was willing to at least meet with her. She did mention that she spoke with her daughter who does in-home daycare and mentioned my situation to her and that I should give her daughter a call. I called the daughter, Autumn, and set up an appointment to meet with her instead on Tuesday.

Yesterday I went to her house and met her, saw her set up and the kids she watches. She still didn't have a definite answer for me because she needed to speak with three more parents about adding another child. Last night she called and said that all of her parents have no problems with Aric joining the daycare and that she would be happy to watch him. She has six other kids she watches, but really only five come on a regular basis. The youngest will turn 1 this month. Autumn seems really nice, the kids looked clean, happy and genuinely seemed to adore her. I feel good about leaving Aric with her and think he will thrive and be happy there. In addition, he will be able to interact with other children close to his age and learn that he's not the only baby in the world.

I am honestly drained by the last couple of days. I have called people, run all over town trying to find lists of people, combed through classified sections and the Internet all in the search of someone to watch Aric for two days a week. It's great for Aric that he is able to spend so much time with Ryan and me, but it's really bad for finding daycare. No one wants to take a part-time child. I keep thinking more and more that if we ever move it would definitely be something I consider doing myself, especially knowing how much daycare providers make! Then I could stay at home with this cute little boy!

Six Years Ago Today...

Six years ago today we stood in a little chapel and promised our lives to each other. We've been through highs and lows and through it all we have become stronger and continued to love and cherish each other.

Happy Anniversary, Ryan! I love you. Always.

Guess Who...

Guess who is...



...teething. We're going through lots of tears, Tylenol, cold teething rings and cold, wet washclothes. Aric isn't just getting one tooth in, he's going big and growing his two bottom front teeth. I'll be glad when they have completely broken through!


Guess who...


...got up on his knees last night, rocked back and forth and then lunged forward into a belly flop on the floor. (Right in front of Mommy, making her the first person to witness it.) He's working hard to be mobile. Good thing his dad and poppa worked on the wall around the stairs this past weekend to make our upstairs family room a safer place to be!

Frustrated Beyond Belief

I came home from work today and called Aric's new sitter, who is was supposed to start watching him tomorrow just to confirm the drop off time, etc. She informed me that she has decided not to watch him because she feels that she should watch someone full time not part time. Now I am sitter-less and scrambling. Thankfully, I was able to get tomorrow off, which gives me three days to find a new sitter for Aric. A sitter who would be able to start asap. And thankfully, Laura said she can watch Aric this coming Thursday and the following Monday. (Thanks Laura- you're the best!)

I'm a little stunned that the sitter couldn't extend any common courtesy to actually call me and let me know of her decision. At least I know what kind of person she truly is and I didn't have to leave my son with her.

If you see me in the next three days I'll be scrambling to find a reliable person to watch my son. And if you know anyone willing to watch him on Mondays and Thursdays, even on a temporary basis until I find a permanent solution, let me know.

Food Progress

I made Aric homemade chicken and veggies with a little bit of seasoning since the Gerber chicken with gravy was not working out. Ryan tried to feed him more Gerber chicken the day after I introduced it and Aric wouldn't eat a single drop of it. I cooked chicken and veggies, pureed it, added a little milk and gave it to Aric. It's not his favorite meal, but at least it's going down. We're just going to keep at it until he gets used to eating meat.

Today Aric was given Zwieback toast. The boy devoured it and spread it all over himself and his high chair. Afterwards he wanted another piece. I gave him Cheerios instead, which weren't as big of a hit since he had trouble making them go from the tray to his mouth. Let the finger-feeding begin!

Biker Baby

Ryan's Dad and Mom have been here this week and they turned Aric into a Biker Baby. Aric has had a blast hanging out with his Poppa Dan and Nana Cindy. Today we went to the local Harley dealer to take a picture of Aric on a Harley with Poppa Dan. Poppa Dan promised Aric that someday he would bring his Harley up and take him on a ride. Someday when he gets bigger and can hang on I'm sure he'll enjoy that ride.