It has been a long while since my last post. Sorry for the long delay, Alissa tells me I'm not a good 'blogger' due to my lack of consistency, I've been called worse.
Oliver has been moving around like crazy and he's into EVERYTHING. This is nothing new for parents of children older than 9 months but it has been life changing for me. I have to admit, life is much more fun now that he is moving. I like being on my toes, all the time. Plus spring is finally here in Boston, so that helps too.
I really feel sorry for parents that are naturally 'Type A' and try and take that approach to parenting. Kids are the most unpredictable creatures I have ever been around. I can't imagine trying to keep a tight schedule and live life pre-planned once a kid arrives.
For myself, I subconsciously set a few vague long term and short term goals (I actually write a 'to-do' list for daily goals) and then I try and keep the ten-thousand daily distractions (that run thru my head) from derailing me completely. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don't but tomorrow is another day.
Here is my approach to raising Oliver, (if it doesn't work there are always second and third kids, HA.) I know the type of man I want him to be and I know the type of person I want him to be in society. I want him to be a confident person, that treats others with respect. I want him to be a person that works hard and sticks with something even when things get real hard. I also want him to never take himself too seriously (confidence) and I want him to keep a good sense of humor about everything (sanity). The rest of what he becomes is up to him.
So, on a daily basis we work on; making each other laugh, making silly faces and sounds, exploring new things, taking chances (him more than me), and trying new things. The only planned activities are naps (which may or may not happen as planned) reading time, play time, meals (when he's hungry), and spending time outside. And, most importantly, I focus on enjoying every minute I spend with him. Oliver is a special person and I want him to know I love him no matter what.
Sometimes all this stuff happens, sometimes it doesn't, but tomorrow is another day and we can try it again.
Having only one kid I have had nothing to base my parenting style on. I haven't known if I was doing a good job or if Oliver was behind other kid's his own age. This was until Oliver and I started his Jelly Jams class. (It's a class for infants and parents to go and learn songs, dances, rhythm, sign language, etc.) Oliver is the best kid in the whole class (biased opinion) top two with out question or bias. I feel much better about my parenting thus far after comparing him to a small group of other 9 month olds. And, if my little man keeps his outgoing personality and current good looks (eyes, smile and hair) the little guy is going places. (If he wants to go places)
Talk to you again in a couple of months.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Conversation I just had with my wife...
Alissa and I were sitting on the couch talking about how we would like to spend the rest of our day and then discussing what time Oliver should be waking from his nap. Then Alissa starts the following conversation. I'm not hard of hearing I was just really, really confused through out this entire conversation.
ALissa: 'Did you know that Knut just died?"
Me: "What?"
Alissa: "Knut, he just died."
Me: "What?"
Alissa: "Knut, K.N.U.T, Knut, he just died."
Me: "Thank you for spelling that for me, but I still have no idea who or what Knut is."
Alissa: "Knut, the panda and the San Diego zoo. He just died. Isn't that sad and really scary?"
Me: "Oh...That sucks but why is a panda dying scary?"
Alissa: "Because, he was just walking around in circles and then fell over in his water bowl and drowned. Isn't that scary?"
Me: "I guess if you were standing between him and the water bowl."
Alissa: "He was the only living male panda and he just died, and he had been around all the female pandas. That's why it's so scary."
Me: "What?"
ALissa: 'Did you know that Knut just died?"
Me: "What?"
Alissa: "Knut, he just died."
Me: "What?"
Alissa: "Knut, K.N.U.T, Knut, he just died."
Me: "Thank you for spelling that for me, but I still have no idea who or what Knut is."
Alissa: "Knut, the panda and the San Diego zoo. He just died. Isn't that sad and really scary?"
Me: "Oh...That sucks but why is a panda dying scary?"
Alissa: "Because, he was just walking around in circles and then fell over in his water bowl and drowned. Isn't that scary?"
Me: "I guess if you were standing between him and the water bowl."
Alissa: "He was the only living male panda and he just died, and he had been around all the female pandas. That's why it's so scary."
Me: "What?"
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
My Little Unhappy Snot Monkey...
Oliver has started teething on the big front teeth. I have heard from others that their little ones were unaffected when their teeth came in. Oliver is not so lucky and neither are we. Alissa didn't get much sleep last night due to her inability to sleep thru a baby's cries, lucky for Oliver. He'd have to attach a police siren to his crib to wake me up.
Oliver has a cold to go along with his teething woes, thank you Children's museum. I wonder if it was him drinking from the kiddie pool or licking the play mats in the 'crawlers only' section? But, I hear he needs the exposure, yahee.
His cold doesn't stop him from wanting to pound on the computer from my lap... stop it... I have had to correct five of Oliver's spelling errors so far. Ahh, my shoulder looks like it has been molested by a tree slug, snot everywhere.
So far today the only thing that makes him happy is dancing with me to 'The Talking Heads'. I know this brings up two immediate questions; "Brek, you know how to dance?" and "How do you dance to 'The Talking Heads?".
No, I don't know how to dance, but Oliver seems to think I am really good at it. And, since I don't know how to dance, dancing to the Talking Heads is actually really easy. And, again, Oliver thinks I am awesome at it and it makes him happy. As long as no one else sees me doing it then everything is fine.
I think Oliver is trying to get my attention. He is on all fours and repeatedly banging the top of his head against my leg but he's not crying... maybe this is a new game for him, now of course I have snot on my pants leg, my cute little snot monkey.
Oliver has a cold to go along with his teething woes, thank you Children's museum. I wonder if it was him drinking from the kiddie pool or licking the play mats in the 'crawlers only' section? But, I hear he needs the exposure, yahee.
His cold doesn't stop him from wanting to pound on the computer from my lap... stop it... I have had to correct five of Oliver's spelling errors so far. Ahh, my shoulder looks like it has been molested by a tree slug, snot everywhere.
So far today the only thing that makes him happy is dancing with me to 'The Talking Heads'. I know this brings up two immediate questions; "Brek, you know how to dance?" and "How do you dance to 'The Talking Heads?".
No, I don't know how to dance, but Oliver seems to think I am really good at it. And, since I don't know how to dance, dancing to the Talking Heads is actually really easy. And, again, Oliver thinks I am awesome at it and it makes him happy. As long as no one else sees me doing it then everything is fine.
I think Oliver is trying to get my attention. He is on all fours and repeatedly banging the top of his head against my leg but he's not crying... maybe this is a new game for him, now of course I have snot on my pants leg, my cute little snot monkey.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sign Language
Alissa and I have been trying to teach Oliver sign language. A lot of parents do this early on to help with communication between them and their baby before the baby has developed their verbal language. So, we have been working on four signs: milk, food, more and all done. Oh, and 'dog'.
Oliver started picking up and doing the 'milk' sign when he was about 5 months old. We'd notice his hand opening and closing then look at the clock and sure enough it was right at feeding time. This is only sign he has picked up so far but he has created a couple of his own signs lately.
In addition the the 'milk' sign Oliver has created a second way to tell us he's hungry (before he starts crying.) When he is ready to eat he looks right at you and opens and closes his mouth nice a big just like a guppy fish. You can do the sign back to him and he smiles real big and does it more pronounced. And he only does this at meal time.
Today, I was feeding him solids and was asking him, in sign language if he wanted 'more food' or 'more milk.' He didn't do his milk sign or his guppy mouth. So, I asked him again if he wanted 'more' or if he was 'all done.' He looked straight at me with his serious look, picked up his bib, keeping eye contact with me, and started licking the food off his bib with purpose.
I think he has a new sign for telling me he wants 'more food.'
Oliver started picking up and doing the 'milk' sign when he was about 5 months old. We'd notice his hand opening and closing then look at the clock and sure enough it was right at feeding time. This is only sign he has picked up so far but he has created a couple of his own signs lately.
In addition the the 'milk' sign Oliver has created a second way to tell us he's hungry (before he starts crying.) When he is ready to eat he looks right at you and opens and closes his mouth nice a big just like a guppy fish. You can do the sign back to him and he smiles real big and does it more pronounced. And he only does this at meal time.
Today, I was feeding him solids and was asking him, in sign language if he wanted 'more food' or 'more milk.' He didn't do his milk sign or his guppy mouth. So, I asked him again if he wanted 'more' or if he was 'all done.' He looked straight at me with his serious look, picked up his bib, keeping eye contact with me, and started licking the food off his bib with purpose.
I think he has a new sign for telling me he wants 'more food.'
Oliver vs. college room-mate on St' Patty's day
Yesterday Oliver and I enjoyed our first St. Patrick's Day together. I was a little bummed to have the day off for a change, but I had to stay at home and watch Oliver all day. But, as the day wore on I realized that hanging out with Oliver on St. Patty's Day was pretty similar to hanging out with my old college room-mate on St. Patty's day. The major difference is when Oliver drinks he's drinking MILK, vs BEER for my old room-mate. Let's see how similar the two really are:
- Both get up early ready for a drink.
- After drinking just the right amount both get really excited, loose their 'inside voices' and then feel like dancing.
- Both throw up on themselves when they have drank and danced too much, but then they'll both get a second wind.
- Both babble on and on about something that I can't understand.
- Both get VERY cranky if not given enough to drink.
- Both think crawling after the dog is HILARIOUS actually they both think anything the dog does is HILARIOUS.
- If constant supervision is not there then both will get themselves into trouble.
- Both will eat solid food, if they have to, but what they both really want is another drink.
- At some point during the day both will have to take a couple of naps, cry about something and eventually pee on themselves, and possibly other people, requiring a change of clothes.
- And eventually, both will crash at about 730pm.
So, as you can see, my St. Patrick's Day celebrations really haven't changed since college. But, hanging with Oliver is much easier to handle and I feel much better the day after.
- Both get up early ready for a drink.
- After drinking just the right amount both get really excited, loose their 'inside voices' and then feel like dancing.
- Both throw up on themselves when they have drank and danced too much, but then they'll both get a second wind.
- Both babble on and on about something that I can't understand.
- Both get VERY cranky if not given enough to drink.
- Both think crawling after the dog is HILARIOUS actually they both think anything the dog does is HILARIOUS.
- If constant supervision is not there then both will get themselves into trouble.
- Both will eat solid food, if they have to, but what they both really want is another drink.
- At some point during the day both will have to take a couple of naps, cry about something and eventually pee on themselves, and possibly other people, requiring a change of clothes.
- And eventually, both will crash at about 730pm.
So, as you can see, my St. Patrick's Day celebrations really haven't changed since college. But, hanging with Oliver is much easier to handle and I feel much better the day after.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Just to see what would happen.
Like most little ones Oliver is drawn to our computer. We have a Macbook, laptop. While I was playing with him on the floor, I pulled the computer out to do some March Madness research for my bracket (Tourney starts tomorrow).
Oliver, can't crawl but he's really good at pulling himself across the floor. So, with in seconds he was between me and our computer trying to hit all the buttons. This behavior is pretty typical of every other time the computer is with in arm's reach of Oliver. So, I decided to let him go to town on the keyboard.
I let him do whatever he wanted to our computer for one minute. In that minute he managed to:
- close safari (macs web browser)
- open Iphoto (to our Christmas album)
- change screen setting to a split-screen then four screen and then six screen setting
- open the dash-board to the calculator and then multiply 7 times 2
- lick the screen (I'm looking at a big tongue mark in the middle of the screen)
- shut the laptop on his head (he's fine, he has a big head)
- and as I'm pulling the lap top away from the crying baby a CD is ejected out of the disk drive.
Oh, and being a baby, he didn't use the mouse for any of this. It was all done by commands that I don't have a clue about. Even my seven month old is smarter with computers than I am. And, a lot more productive, this was all accomplished in a minute.
Maybe he will invent Facebook 2.0. You are all witnesses, Facebook 2.0 was my idea, if Oliver creates it I will expect the customary 65 million for having an idea with no ability to create it. (Watch 'Social Network' for an explanation of the last paragraph.)
Oliver, can't crawl but he's really good at pulling himself across the floor. So, with in seconds he was between me and our computer trying to hit all the buttons. This behavior is pretty typical of every other time the computer is with in arm's reach of Oliver. So, I decided to let him go to town on the keyboard.
I let him do whatever he wanted to our computer for one minute. In that minute he managed to:
- close safari (macs web browser)
- open Iphoto (to our Christmas album)
- change screen setting to a split-screen then four screen and then six screen setting
- open the dash-board to the calculator and then multiply 7 times 2
- lick the screen (I'm looking at a big tongue mark in the middle of the screen)
- shut the laptop on his head (he's fine, he has a big head)
- and as I'm pulling the lap top away from the crying baby a CD is ejected out of the disk drive.
Oh, and being a baby, he didn't use the mouse for any of this. It was all done by commands that I don't have a clue about. Even my seven month old is smarter with computers than I am. And, a lot more productive, this was all accomplished in a minute.
Maybe he will invent Facebook 2.0. You are all witnesses, Facebook 2.0 was my idea, if Oliver creates it I will expect the customary 65 million for having an idea with no ability to create it. (Watch 'Social Network' for an explanation of the last paragraph.)
Monday, March 14, 2011
My little Bullfrog (taken from my FB post)
Yesterday Oliver saw Alissa's water cup sitting on the floor about two feet away from where he and Alissa were sitting. So, he launches himself out of Alissa's lap to tackle the water cup. He looked just like a bullfrog leaping into a pond.
He gave himself a big strawberry on his chin. But, he tackled the cup.
The best part was when Alissa was comforting him, he stops crying after about five seconds and looks at me and cackles as if to say, 'Did you see what I just tried to do? Wow, that was awesome!'
I'm worried about that boy.
He gave himself a big strawberry on his chin. But, he tackled the cup.
The best part was when Alissa was comforting him, he stops crying after about five seconds and looks at me and cackles as if to say, 'Did you see what I just tried to do? Wow, that was awesome!'
I'm worried about that boy.
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