That's one BIG swimmin' pool!

OMG! Do you see what I see?!

I'm gonna git that bird!

Daddy brought some of the ocean up to us

Rob took Monday off this week and we took a day trip to the Misquamicut Beach in RI. Showing Tanner the ocean for the first time was thrilling for all of us. It was a gorgeous day - 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Tanner spent a lot of time playing at the water's edge watching his feet disappear in the sand as the water lapped over them. He even went in the freezing cold water with daddy, up to his belly. He liked digging in the sand under our umbrella, but most of all, he was completely amazed by the Sea Gulls. He kept gasping and pointing every time he saw one. He made multiple attempts to run after them. If you've ever tried running in the sand, imagine a toddler running in the sand. He can hardly "run" on any surface, not to mention a beach. It was hysterical. He wanted it so badly that he really gave it his all. The effort was tremendous. Each time he only made it a few paces and all he got was a face full of sand. Poor guy. He lasted about 2 hours and when it was time to go it was time to go. As the meltdown ensued, we packed everything as quickly as possible and headed to the car, which was parked just a 2 minute walk away. Rob was loading our belongings and I had stripped off Tanner's sandy swim trunks and diaper and set him standing next to the car. I turned to find the fresh outfit that I had brought and when I turned back I was just in time to see Tanner squatting on the pavement leaving a nice little present in the parking lot. Oh boy! The next 10 minutes had to be fun folly for an innocent bystander. Tanner started running around the parking lot with poop stuck to his buns. I was hollering to Rob to find the wipes while trying to contain Tanner and not get myself "soiled" in the process. After a second "deposit" on the pavement and what seemed like way too much effort for two adults working on one little toddler, we were safely back in the car on our way home...Whew.

The worst chore on earth

Most of you know that Rob and I have been "chipping" away at the most daunting and dastardly task of scraping, sanding, priming and painting our house. We've been at it since we moved in 5 years ago. (I won't belabor the point that I had this at the TOP of my "BEFORE BABY" task list.) Achem. So now another year has gone by and the back (and final) side of the house, still undone. With one of us needed on Tanner duty, it is a lot harder to motivate eachother to spend a weekend doing this most unpleasant, difficult job...so I finally talked Rob into hiring help. I found a college guy through the girl that works for me at AEHS. We had never met him but Bonnie assured me that he was a good worker. He showed up right on time wearing this "Here to Help" T-shirt and I just had to take a picture. How cute! The guys worked all day Sunday scraping and sanding and made a lot of progress. I was so glad to see the project moving ahead and our little "here to help" helper up there...He's coming back this Sunday as well. I told Rob I think we'll need to throw a party when the house is finally all painted.

As you can see, Tanner and I were "working hard" as well, watering the back yard...

Uh-Oh and Hello

Tanner has been blurting out a new word almost daily and it is just so much fun. We never know whats going to come out next. So far we have a dozen or so words and Rob and I go wild, jumping up and down and repeating it over and over every time he says something new. (I'm sure all you veteran parents are thinking "geeky first-time parents" if I ever saw one...)

We were at the docs yesterday and a nurse was breezing by the door to the (very quiet) room were waiting in and suddenly Tanner, sitting on my lap, blurted out a short and sweet "Hi." The nurse stopped in her tracks, leaned back into the doorway and said "well hello!" and went on her way laughing and shaking her head...it was so cute. Rob and I were shocked. And of course like good little parents we were all up in his face with "hi"..."hi"..."hi" over and over for the next few minutes just hoping to hear it again. At which time he just starred at us.

A couple of nights ago, he dropped a cheerio on the floor, looked up at us with his arms out/palms up and let out a very choppy two syllable "UH.OH"! That was priceless. (Obviously the copy catting is in full swing.) He's been pulling out "Uh-Oh" at the most random times since...I'm sure someday it will be old as old can be, but right now we can't get enough of it...

Gramma Va brings a slide!

Gramma Va came to visit last night and this morning on her way to Cape Cod and brought this fun slide. Tanner climbs up the ladder, positions himself to go down either backwards, sitting, or face first, and just lets go! It is hilarious. Half falling, half sliding, he never knows how he's going to land. He took a couple of clunks on the head but that didn't stop him. He did it over and over laughing all the way...often clapping for himself at the bottom. So cute. All this despite the fact that he caught a virus this week and according to the doc, has Croup. His cough sounds like a barking dog. Its terrible. (He had Croup when he was 6 mos old too and it was worse then.) You wouldn't know it according to his mood. He's happy as a lark. The "happy wheezers" I guess they call them...This past week or so, he's been busy imitating EVERYTHING. Tonight he actually went over to the dog while he was drinking at his water bowl, bent down next to him and started "lapping" the air with his tongue. Oh how I wish I had an instantaneous video recorder for moments like that. I'm going to work on capturing that one...

I often catch him imitating facial expressions and gestures...and the other day I saw him in my rear view mirror imitating a sneeze while watching Baby Einstein. He went "heh, heh, heeeh?@!?!?!! Choooo!" He's also very busy TESTING mommy and daddy. He purposely waits until we're looking at him and goes and does something we've told him "no" over. The big one right now is his bottle. He turns it upside down and lets it drain out onto the floor. Or his toys. Or clothes...whatever. He walks around with it like that and "drains" it onto anything he can. Draws pictures on the floor with it...dumps it onto Theo's back...

doesn't matter how many times I tell him no and take it away. He's been doing it for months. Isn't this supposed to be happening closer to the two's????

He still loves bathtime like no other time of day...As soon as I say its time for bath, he's at the gate ready to go upstairs...He's been blowing bubbles since he was 10 mos old and he is now trying to put his head under water! Seriously. He just can't figure out how not to get water up his nose. Tonight he bent down and stuck his head under the faucet as the tub was filling, letting the water just flow over the crown of his head...He loves to stretch himself out on his tummy and kick his feet like he's swimming. I don't know where he gets it because neither Rob or I are big swimmers.

Sleep Report: Same. Still not sleeping good...especially now that he's sick. He's had 2 good nights in the last 3 weeks. Some days I am soooooo sick of that and it get depressing and difficult to go on like this. But then go to get him and see his bright smiling face and suddenly I can go one more day...On that note, I think I'll go to bed...

Little Man

Tanner looked like such a little man today, I just had to post these. We went to Walmart and he flashed his famous smile at everyone we passed and got lots of compliments. I got talked into getting photos taken of him by the Walmart photo studio. I'm not sure how it happened exactly because one moment I was on my way out of the store with my cart and the next minute I had Tanner perched on a platform holding a toy fishing pole and smiling at a rubber duckie. Well he cooperated for one pose and then he wanted to leave. There was no changing his mind so we canned it. I did buy that pose though. Probably out of guilt that he's 13 months old and I've never had his photos taken! Talk about spur of the moment. Anyway...I do cherish having Mondays and Wednesdays with him. Its always an adventure. Besides Walmart, today we played outside with Theo and went on a bike ride. He was extra needy this afternoon - I think his teeth were bothering him. Tomorrow and Friday he goes to daycare, which he loves because he gets to see his friends Brianna (2) and Hailley (5).

Ready to Roll...First Bike Ride!

Momma, I'm not so sure I like this helmet!

Lets just get going!

Well the helmet was too big (I have to find a smaller one) but I we took our first bike ride today and it was a blast! On Saturday I found this baby bike seat at a local consignment shop - brand new. We installed it yesterday and I picked up his helmet at Walmart (the smallest one they carried is still too big so I'm going to check Dick's Sporting Goods tomorrow). We rode to the park and looked at the trees and threw rocks in the water. There were some hills that mommy didn't realize would be so effortful with an extra 25 pounds on the bike so mommy is whooped. Nevertheless we will be doing it again soon for sure!

Better Late than Never!

I've always been so into "documenting" and "memory preserving"... I have scrapbooks, photo albums, and blogs of oodles of pre-baby days...trips we took, wedding planning, bachelorette, wedding day, pregnancy, etc...I always thought the biggest "documenting" of all would be the baby days...well today I was in Old Navy and for the first time, realized I was no longer shopping in the "baby" section...I had to go to the next bay over to find his size...the "toddler" section! This might not seem significant, but it was king of a big deal to me! What do you mean I can't find 12-18 mos in the "baby" section?!
Tanner is 1-year old, he's walking, running, climbing, and talking...his first birthday party has come and gone and I hadn't so much as posted a single word or made a single album for the little guy...
Tonight Rob is gone on a much needed /deserved guys night out in CT and I finally set up my blog account and here I am tired, but typing away. I'm not going to try to recap in detail the last year of Tanner's life. Most of you know at least little about the time we've had with Tanner's GI issues affecting his sleep, etc. I had noooo idea it could be this hard without decent sleep. The first 6 months we were up 6-12 times a night every night. It got a little better after 6 mos, and then a little better again after 9 mos. Then it got worse again around 11 mos because we were trying too many foods with him. So we cut that out and he' s back on a "bland food" diet and he started sleeping better. Then last week he started cutting more teeth (he has 4 so far and he's cutting several more) and it was back to up 2-4 times a night. Its definitely better than it was, but far from perfect. I certainly can't count on laying my head down on my pillow and getting a good night's sleep. After a year, its a disconcerting feeling.This week so far there has been only one night where he didn't get up. In fact, seeing that I'm on my own tonight, I'm going to bed VERY soon in case we have a bad night. I keep telling myself that its temporary. I mean, I can't see that he'll be 15 and calling out for me to come in his room several times a night.
Despite being tired most of my life these days, I've never experienced so much love and joy. Its hard for a mother to put into words the way we feel about our children, isn't it. He is my pride and joy. Every time I look at him I want to sqeeze him and kiss him. So I do. As much as possible while I can. From what everyone says, before I know it he'll actually be 15 and certainly won't want me hugging and kissing him all day long.