The Baby's Room

Scary before colors

Pretty, calming after colors

Andrew helping with some touch-up work.

Andrew decided he need to test the changing table and the new box of wet wipes.

Some of you have been asking whether the baby's room is ready, and I'm happy to report that it's mostly finished. I still want to find a few more things for the walls, but I'm not in any rush. The room has made quite the transformation from hot pink and turquoise walls to blue and springy green. And a big thank you goes out to my aunt Dorothy for giving up a whole day to paint the room for us. We couldn't have gotten this room ready without her help!

Andrew likes playing in his baby brudder's room. We are having a little trouble keeping him out of the crib. Funny, since we had trouble keeping him in the crib 6 short months ago! Ahh, the fun days we have in store with two little boys!

Haircut or Torture?

The calm after the storm. Grandma and Grandpa are forgiven especially since they gave him a new book with a dry erase pen, which he now calls the "Haircut Book."

Andrew has never liked getting his haircut, but we've always been able to get some sort of haircut. Not true for this past weekend. For some reason, he totally freaked out at the hair place. I've never seen him so scared of a nice woman with scissors! After about a half an hour, we finally left the hair salon, without the scissors ever touching his head, and decided to try a new strategy. Andrew loves his Grandpa, so we thought, foolishly, that maybe he would let Grandpa cut his hair. No. No. He freaked out again and it took several of us to hold him down. But because he is as strong as an ox, he wiggled a lot and consequently has a few bald spots and a couple of spots that were never touched.

Last night when Keith was giving Andrew a bath, he thought he could sneak in a couple of trims while Andrew was playing. Andrew heard the tiny trimmer and asked, "Whas dat noise?" Keith showed him and called it a tickle tool. Andrew wasn't fooled. He told Keith, "Daddy, I take a baff. Turn dat off and pu it up dare (pointing to the back of the toilet)." Keith tried a couple more times, but was unsuccessful in fooling Andrew. I think our next option is shaving his head...

Here are a couple of videos Keith took of the "torture."

Poor Andrew. But you'll be happy to know that as soon as he was free from the kitchen/salon, he was happy and smiling and all was forgiven, especially after he got his promised popsicle and new book!

A young K-State fan

Here are some pictures I took in early December and never took the time to post. It was a semi-nice day and we were trying to burn off some energy before naptime. Andrew found ice chunks in his water/sand table and decided they needed to be eaten.

And don't you love his hat?! He picked it out and what's a mother to do but buy it for him?!

Hooray for naps!

I have wonderful news - no I didn't have the baby yet. This is almost as good. Andrew is taking naps again! Praise the Lord! I didn't think I would survive the 3-week nap strike, but somehow we all lived through it. I really need to give credit to Keith who kick started the naps again. A couple of Sundays ago, when I passed out on the couch, he fought the nap fight, and was determined to win without injuring himself or Andrew! The solution - take away the window seat. Crazy as it sounds, now that we have barricaded the window seat with a baby gate, Andrew sleeps. Not in his bed, but in the glider rocker that was supposed to be moved to the baby's room. Who really needs a rocker in a baby's room?! We certainly don't right now as long as it keeps big brother sleeping! Just thought I'd update on our little parenting victory. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us!

An Angel?

Andrew got a new DVD for Christmas called Alabaster's Song about an angel who tells a little boy the Christmas story. It's very cute and he'd watch it all day every day if I let him. Yesterday, Keith took Andrew to Spangles for lunch while I got a much needed haircut. If you've never been to a Spangles, it's kind of a fast-food diner with very greasy food. Anyway, as they walk in, there is a large cardboard cutout of Marilyn Monroe. Keith said that Andrew started screaming, "Look Daddy! An angel!" as loud as he could. Keith tried to explain that it was really Marilyn Monroe and not an angel, so now he sees pictures of angels and asks "Mawilyn Monwoe?"

Naptime Woes

We've been having many napping issues at our house. Prior to the week before Christmas, Andrew was an excellent napper. Read a couple stories, put him in his bed and he'd typically sleep around two hours. Ahh, the good old days... Ever since Christmas and all the excitement that came with it, and we think the pending arrival of a baby brother, naptime bliss is gone. Don't get me wrong. He still goes to his room for two hours, he just doesn't sleep anymore. And therefore is a very tired trainwreck by the end of the day. And frankly, so am I!

On Thursday, when the two hours were up, I went to get him, only to find him naked except for one sock, carrying his clothes toward the door. I asked him why and he answered, as he does to all questions these days with an, "I dunno." Then added in a shocked voice, "Where my diaper?" So I dressed him and thought little more about the incident.

Fast forward to Friday's naptime. I decided to try something new, so I sat in the rocking chair in his room, in hopes that he would stay in his bed and listen to me sing. Well, it worked for a short time, then I fell asleep and he read books to himself and sang loudly, which I only vaguely remember. I was very tired! After an hour, I gave up and left his room. He didn't seem to mind and I foolishly thought maybe he had tired himself out in my semi-conscience presence.

After a little time had passed, I checked the video monitor and saw him sitting on his bed - naked, fighting sleep, and saying "Holy Smokes" over and over. Then he fell asleep. It was 5 pm and I was just ready to go get him, but then the thought of a 30-45 minute nap was too much to pass up. Keith came home from work and went to get him, only to find the room reeking of poop. We quickly discovered the source of the smell. Andrew had painted his window and part of one wall with poop. Yes, I said painted, but I think smeared is a more accurate description. Keith gave Andrew a quick bath and I had the fun job of cleaning the room. Ahh, parenthood. They don't give you literature on this fun stuff when they give you your positive pregnancy test results!

Today I'm happy to report that while I ran errands, Keith and Andrew ran their own errands, which resulted in Andrew falling asleep in the car. He then was transferred to his bed and slept 3 hours and would've probably slept longer, but I was hungry and we wanted him to sleep tonight. Hooray for us! No poopy paint today! I fear Monday and being here alone to clean up any new art project Andrew might create!

Merry Christmas with the Ayottes and Fleurys

Andrew, Ben and Cate

Andrew playing in his new Diego ball pit with a little help from Grammy.

Do you think he likes it?

Cate and Andrew share snack time.

Ben, Andrew and Cate

Ben and Andrew reading books. Let me assure you this was the only time they were this quiet except when they were sleeping!

The whole family! And if anyone out there still doubts I'm pregnant, well, you're just crazy!

Grammy and Grandpa with the kiddos

Audra on playroom duty

More story time - love this book, by the way!

Watching the record-setting 16-0 Patriots game! Go Pats!

The moms feigning playroom stress.

Ben got a Nintendo DS for Christmas. Andrew thought it was the COOLEST thing on earth!

Obviously I'm still struggling to get caught up with the blog. We had a GREAT time with the Fleurys and Ayottes at Christmas! They had a horrible time getting here, but they finally made it and we are so glad they did! Andrew loved playing with his cousins and being spoiled by Grammy and Grandpa and Uncle Dave and Aunt Audra! Cate said that her favorite part about our house was Andrew because she loves him! I think that pretty much summed up how they all felt about each other! We ladies got a little shopping time, Dave and Keith got to go coyotte hunting with my dad, we ate a lot of food, played a couple serious games of Uno Attack and laughed till we cried. Sadly all good things must come to an end, but we have lots of pictures to keep the memories alive! Thanks for making the long trip to Kansas! We can't wait to see you all again soon!