secure in his manhood

Wendy is now posting daycare photos to her Facebook account, which is very nice as I get a glimpse into what Paudie's day to day is like. The crew seems to enjoy dress-up time on their indoor days. As you can see here, my very boyish boy (mud, bugs, climbing, trucks, trains) makes a very pretty debutante type girl. He is wearing the ensamble with a lot of confidence. I particularly like the hat.

The sun has finally returned to New England, albeit very briefly, but enough to get the boy outside and running around a soccer field with a ball. This last week has been very hard with him. He is alt out refusing to go to bed. Last Saturday he crawled out over the side of his crib for the first time and I sort of wonder if all of this is connected? He used to just go right down and drift off, now we are enduring hours and hours (okay, hour and hour) of tears and hysterics. Last night he was up till 10:15, and up at 6:30 this AM. I am sure he is in fab form today. We know one of his molars is coming in so perhaps it is just more teething pain but whatever the cause, brutal. So you have this one bawling upstairs, and Banjo, who cries when Paudie does (in the "ouch this hurts my ears way"), howling downstairs. It can be a little maddening depending on the day you have just had. We try go have this happy, light environment and here 50% of us are crying. What gives?

I had planned to start Paudie on peanut butter soon but our doc's office is saying to wait until he is 3. I am really questioning the advice. Did my mom wait till I was 3? I doubt it. He just needs another high-protein, easily traveled food option badly. But if I don't wait, he'll have a reaction and I'll get the I Told You So face from some nurse. And I don't want that. Drat.

We are off to Rochester on Weds - hoping for some warm weather and some swimming, ice cream, burgers and maybe even a carnival or something. Paudie is going to have a blast...

stuck.

Stuck is Paudie's new word. Things get stuck a lot for him - his socks on his feet is the most common. He says it with the most pained look on his face. And he repeats it over and over until things are unstuck. He is also a fan of the word 'why.' But it's more like, wah-hi. Very cute and facilitates good conversation. He is starting to bust out with 'I dunno' and yesterday he said 'rock' for the first time. Oh, and he is also saying Thank You and Bless You (after a sneeze - not randomly) which blows our mind. I think it has to be a daycare thing, which we are thrilled about because there aren't a ton of manners at our house. I am still working on controlling my occasionally obnxious burping. And language of course.

Last weekend we were at Nolan's third annual Lemonade Stand. Year one I was pregnant (and in upstate NY), last year Paudie was a blob, but this year, this year he had a blast. Between the sugar and the goldfish-cracker-like-whales, the sidewalk chalk, other kids, a ride-on toy, a bat, and a wheelbarrow of dirt - it was sick, as Nolan might say. Later that night we hit the Quincy Flag Day parade. We had a hunch a parade might be his thing and right we were. He, and his $8.00 Diego blow-up on a stick, were marching all over the place, occasionally almost into the parade itself. He loved all the noise. What an awesome day he had.

Banjo and Paudie are continuing to bond. It may be my imagination but it does seem that Banjo isn't as nippy and bitey towards Paudie as he had been. Paudie continued to be obsessed with the food and water bowls. Imagine my delight as I turned around recently to see Paudie at the water bowl, on all fours, lapping at the water with his tongue. Thankfully I had just given Banjer clean water moments before.

This weekend we are slated for two first birthday partys - Paudie will be in heaven. He loves other kids, being out and social. Too bad the June dampness and gloom look to be continuing into the weekend. We are also contemplating trying peanut butter with him soon. Now I am sure my mother did not agonize over when to try it with me, but it seems to be the thing to do these days. I am so hopeful he will dig it as we really need another food option for him, though I must say his eating has improved along with his activity level.

before, during and after

hair-sterics

Sat morn we took Paudie to Snip-its, a hair salon for kids. We did this because: 1. the boy's hair was getting a little skraggly (is that a word?); 2. a previous attempt to cut his hair two months ago at our house was not successful; 3. they sent me a coupon. He was quite intrigued with the place at first - lots of toys, and noise, and other kids. Actually there were two other boys there younger than him getting their first hair cuts as well. Everyone was happy as Larry.

As soon as John tried to lower Paudie into the chair... hysterics. I mean, crazy hysterics, the kind Pau usually reserves for the pediatrician. I thought the woman would be all, buh-bye, but she hung in, and cut his hair as he was clung to John for dear life. It felt sort of sad seeing his hair go (though I told her to take it easy - I didn't want a buzz cut for him) and watching him transform into like a 10 year old boy. As soon as she was finishing, the storm passed and he lightened up. I think the lollipop I shuved in his mouth had soothed him. Yay for sugar! I will post the before and after photos soon.

So it took a few days to adjust to Paudie's new look. But I'm there. It just makes him seem so... mature now. Like last night after dinner (OMG, he ate like his whole dinner - fish and veggies, what we were having - for the first time ever!), as I cleaned up and John was out with the dog, he just sat at the table, content, playing with a truck, making truck-like noises. Ugh! Where is our baby?

We also took Paudie on the T last weekend - he is obsessed with trains and trucks and diggers. Calls them all choo-choos and points like a madman as we drive. He was shellshocked when we got on the train. It was delightful. What a low-cost way to entertain a small boy. We took him into the Garden and did the swan boats, which he sat quite still for thanks to the goldfish crackers in my bag. They resolve ants in pants. After we got pizza and sat on the Common. All in all, a great day.