1 Year Photos

I tried to wait for Parker to start feeling better to get his 1 year pictures, but when I realized that this long, never ending sickness was in fact allergies, I gave up and decided to take him feeling yucky and all. We went about 2 weeks ago to the botanical gardens and despite his feeling so crummy, ended up with quite a few keepers! Blakely was my photographers assistant and tried her best to make him laugh. I don't think I got one the entire day of him actually looking at the camera-his eyes were either looking down or at her. =)

Sugar and Whining

We are having some problems with Blakely:

1. Eating

2. Whining

Let's address #1. 

The child will not eat. Basically she is attempting to live like Elf. (You know Will Ferrell in only the BEST Christmas movie ever.) She lives for sugar. I'm afraid to announce that I have been fueling the fire. I would get so encouraged by her actually eating anything that I started giving her Fruit Loops, Pop tarts & even, gasp, a cupcake for breakfast... I know I know-but if your child wouldn't eat a bite of food, you might do the same thing too so don't judge!

The doc told us a while back (like a year ago) that we should offer her the exact same thing we eat and let her starve until she gets hungry enough to eat what is in front of her. Starving your child, I don't care what kind of mother you are, is hard...really really hard.

We are there now (as of yesterday). We are at the point of scheduling an appointment with a food specialist, so I thought I would try this 'starvation' plan for a month before we go in for our 3 year checkup & if it isn't any better than we will have no choice than to get some serious help.

 So, yesterday she ate one bite of peanut butter & jelly sandwich at school along with some applesauce (according to the teacher) and a BITE of a strawberry for dinner...That's it. No milk, no juice-just water.

 Moving on to subject #2

 This is a definition is what I live with 95% of every single day-I am not exaggerating. Before this week, I have tried every form of punishment other than calm, gentle reasoning. The whining is the most annoying thing to me. Some people can't stand a high pitched sound blaring in their ear, others nails on a chalkboard-mine is whining.
What does she whine about-oh any and everything-'hold me, hold me' milk-not cold enough, wanting more, her diaper, wanting a new outfit, shoes frustrating her, Parker, napping, food, wanting popsicles, wanting to go outside, not wanting to leave school...you name it.

So, after some very valuable counseling, I decided to give this a go-which mind you takes EXORBITANT  amounts of patience. Every single time she even remotely whines I stop her and in a very calm and gentle voice ask her if that is necessary to ask Mommy in such a yucky tone. I then ask her to attempt to ask it again in a normal, non-yucky whine. I send her to her room and then go have a talk with her. I would be safe to say that 2 solid days were spent with Blakely in her room. The others have resulted in about 25 different 5 min sessions in her room. I will say I am standing strong and no matter how bad I want to scream at the top of my lungs (which I do-I just remove myself from visibility, pillow in hand and have at it).

I am proud to announce that it all seems to be paying off! She has only been whining about 40% of every day now!!! Which for me is totally doable and such a relief. She is even catching herself whining and admitting she is wrong. YAY! So valuable lesson learned with Miss Blakely, she responds best to calm and gentle discipline. Who would have thought??

April

As I was going through my pictures, I realized just how negligent I've been with keeping up my blog. Here is our April 2013.

 Silly Blakely being Blakely-Raffe in tow as usual

 a couple of dr. visits...

 bubbles

 bubbles

 and more bubbles...

 a visit with Alli and Caroline

 Sibling love

 or is it???

 a sleeping puppy

 a few movie nights

Using our imagination
**(Kaki gave Blakely a book of stickers with eyes, noses, mouths, ears...A sticker 'mr. potato' if you will. Blakely has had more fun with that than anything else for the past month. When I went in to get her up from a nap she was hysterically laughing at what she had done to her piggy bank.)

 and then did the same thing to Raffe.

 nice, long swinging in the breezy sunny weather

 Lots of cuddling and one on one time (or one on two time since Parker is never more than 2 feet from me at all times)

 Enjoying the flowers

 long fun playground time

 a couple of dinners at Donotos.

 making silly faces

 wagon rides

 at the zoo

 yep, that pretty much sums up what all we've been up to (aside from what I have already posted!)

13 Months

Parker,

You have been quite the sickling lately! These allergies are really hitting you hard and seeming to give you little relief. I don't love pumping you with Zyrtec, but it seems to give you a break from feeling so crummy. Your eyes are typically glued shut whenever you wake from napping. 

Even with all the yuckiness, you are quite happy most of the time. You do love to cuddle especially when you aren't feeling your best. You love the TV...I let you watch Curious George most mornings while I'm trying to get everyone ready and you are so fascinated with it!

 You are full of personality. You love when we laugh at you! You will just laugh right back.

 You are getting in to EVERYTHING! and I mean everything. You love Zizi's water bowl, wall outlets, sister's teeny tiny toys, cabinets, doors, windows with blinds, oh and especially the potty. You make me tired these days.

 You love your bottle, but it better be hot! You are not giving in to my weening attempts at taking it room temperature & you can forget about my feeble attempts at serving it cold.

 You are very hard to hold. You make absolutely no effort to hold on, in fact you actually tilt your body back in almost a horizontal position. With this in mind, you want to be held 100% of every day. Nothing makes you madder than when I walk past you. You will crawl like a mad man after me and if (Heaven forbid) I walk past you a second time-my ears will ring for days!

 I would say you are most content when someone is holding you while standing up and walking around. I don't think I've ever heard you cry in that position.

 You love the park, outside, being read to, anything in your sister's room, baths, Blakely giving you attention. You absolutely do not love when Blakely tells you 'no'. It seriously hurts your feelings....I on the other hand tell you no and it doesn't phase you-go figure.

 You love your giraffe lovie and always prefer it to anything else. You snuggle it up to your face while sucking your thumb often. Most days that I get you up from sleeping you have one hand wrapped around this monkey's leg or tail and the other hand tightly gripping your giraffe lovie. Not sure what your 'Raffe' will be but my money is on this giraffe!

 I am sad to announce that you are starting to be a terrible eater! You love applesauce and yogurt but that is about it. It makes me want to cry because at your age Blakely would eat so much more than that. I am trying very hard to nip this behavior in the bud but you just refuse everything! oh no...

 You are still wearing a size 4 diaper, eating 3, 8 oz bottles of milk and 2, 6 oz sippys a day with meals and snacks between (when you will actually eat that is), You just started standing up for about 20 seconds at a time yesterday actually. I'm guessing walking is in your near future?? You bring us so much happiness!

I love you so much sweet man. You are the light of my life & I am so lucky to have you! Hopefully this summer weather will hit soon and all your yuckiness will fade!

Spring Sing

This was Blakely's second time to perform. I will say it went better than her Christmas performance, but not by much...

 Started out by her searching the room for me. I was hiding this time since last time the meltdown happened after she spotted me.

 Everything seems to be going good.

 until the music started...

 yep, she hit the floor-again!

 Guess show business is out...