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March 16, 2003
Oh my goodness, where does the time go? Wait, did I start my last entry like that? Who could remember, it was over a month ago! I would apologize, but what the hey, my mom always said that actions speak louder than words so it would pretty much be a waste of breath (keystrokes?). Instead, maybe I'll just make it up to you by posting not one but two entries this week! Yes, I do have my next entry ready to be posted on my anniversary in a few days. But, first I need to post this one, so here goes.
Several weeks ago, Aden spent an entire weekend saying "Oh no!" pretty much every chance he got. It was really cute and we all got a few laughs out of it. The next weekend, he spent an entire day answering every question with a sweet shake of his head and a quiet little "no-o." Of course, his doting parents and grandparents thought this was adorable and charming as well. Until it continued... two days... three days... an entire week... a month??? And the quiet little "no-o" has been expanded into an entire line of conversation: The questioning "no?". The low and emphatic "no." The I'm saying no but shaking my head yes "no." The telling the dog what to do "no!". The telling mom what to do "No!". The whiny about to throw a tantrum "NO!". I'm sure you get the gist.
That word (I don't even want to type it again, lest I mentally hear it in my head) is Aden's favorite word and has been for weeks. It's his answer to everything. He even lies in bed at night practicing it! Sometimes it's funny, but mostly it's annoying or irritating or infuriating. Is this what the terrible two's are about? Are we supposed to start those 4 months early?
I also think that this newfound power and independence is scaring him a little. At times he's whiny, clingy, and fearful for the first time in his life. He has a sudden fear of the vacuum cleaner, so I have to hold him while I vacuum. I can't go anywhere by myself or he cries and whines inconsolably. He'll climb halfway up or down the stairs and suddenly need to be carried the rest of the way. At these times, no one else will do. Mama is the only solution.
Yes, we have entered a mama's boy phase, but it seems kind of calculated. Like he wants reassurance that I'll always love him and be there for him, but only when he doesn't have anything better to do. There's no sign of this clinginess when we're at playgroup or out at the park or when Grandma is here. He only needs the reassurance from me if he's tired or hungry or bored! I'm looking on the bright side--this is the first time Aden has ever acted like he needed me for anything. It's nice to be appreciated. And you can't beat all of the extra hugs and cuddles I'm getting when he clings to me. Plus, he's growing up too fast, so even if a little regression is annoying at times, at least it temporarily pauses the growing-up and away process! I think we both need time to adjust to his increasing independence.
In other news, Aden's other new infatuation is baths. We can barely finish supper before he starts requesting a bath. Sometimes he asks for one on the way upstairs for naptime, or first thing in the morning when we're brushing our teeth. It's a fun game. "Bah?" he says. "What do you want?" we ask. "BAH?" he replies. We play dumb. "Take bah???? Meeeeeee (please)???" Finally we ask if he's ready for a bath and it's one of the few questions that's never met with a "no." I'm excited to see if he likes the pool as much. We only live a 5 minute walk from the pool in city park, so I have a feeling we'll be hanging out there a lot this summer!
Other quick updates: Katie's mom is expecting in late October/early November, and she is planning to be a SAHM after the new baby arrives. I like watching Katie, I think it's great for Aden to have the constant socialization, and I won't lie, the money has come when we most needed it. BUT it's been hard for me to give up my "Aden and mama" time and also to conform to someone else's values and schedule. At times I have felt very conflicted about the entire situation. So this was great news to me, because now I have a definite end point to look forward to. And even better, I'll have time again with just Aden before he gets a sibling--at least 6 or 7 months by our earliest TTC calculations, and possibly more. As with most things, I gave my conflict about this issue up to the universe to solve, and the perfect solution has arisen. I feel very happy and at peace about it.
Xander: our fuzzy little puppy is 5 months old now, about half or two-thirds grown, and finally settling down into the wonderful family dog we had hoped for. We finished puppy class and Xander is officially a "Super Puppy," meaning he's well socialized, has developed a strong relationship with us, and knows the basic commands as well. His coat is starting to get longer and wavy, which has been kind of a neat transformation to watch. Tomorrow he goes to the vet to get neutered, which always makes me a little nervous. When our cat got spayed, she was so pissed off at the world that she just kept making that low, unearthly wailing that only a truly distressed cat makes. She's forgiven us, but 3 years later I think she would still scratch the vet's eyeballs out if she could. So I know Xander will be fine, but hopefully it will be a slightly more pleasant experience than that!
The house: I painted our dining room two weeks ago, which took longer than expected (I don't know what the hell was on that ceiling but it took Kilz and three coats of paint to cover it) but it looks wonderful now. The walls are "Melon Rind," which is kind of a dark bright green, and the built-in china cabinet is a pale creamy yellow, well the recessed window seat area is a brighter "Colonial Yellow." The room has lots of light and plants, the woodwork is dark reddish-brown, the dishes in the china cabinet are the above-mentioned colors with splashes of red in them also, and the table is set with red place mats. That probably doesn't really convey it, but all put together, it is absolutly awesome.
Family: My sister Tamera came to visit for several days last week. We had so much fun. We haven't spent that much time together in years, we hadn't seen each other in over 6 months, and she'd never been to my house. So we ate lots of junk food, watched TV and movies, and caught up on everything. She also cut and colored my hair in my own home, which made me feel like a rich pampered celebrity! The cut is the same (long curly layers) but I now have blond highlights and dark red lowlights to go with the previous red color. She also dolled me up and dragged me out to the bars, somewhere I hadn't been in a while! Since she's 22, single, and very busty, we were soon surrounded by a gaggle of guys. Not such a bad place to be for an old married chick like me, especially since I will have to brag that I looked hot and got my fair share of the attention. No one believed she was my little sister though. One guy said, "But you seem so much more innocent!" (sigh) Probably true--when I was asked out onto the dance floor, I kept wanting to say "I met my husband in this bar!" Not the best conversation opener, LOL! But I was glad to come home, sneak a peek at Aden sleeping sweetly in his crib, then crawl into bed next to Derek.
Okay, anyone still with me? Here's my promise: This week I'm celebrating two anniversaries, both of meeting Derek (6 years ago on the 19th) and marrying him (3 years ago on the 18th). In honor of our life together, in the next few days I'll be posting about the most momentous event of my life, which wouldn't be possible without my wonderful DH--Aden's birth story! So stay tuned!
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