Absentee Mom

I'm trying to get into shape so I am at the gym a lot in the evenings.  I try to go during dinner so I can spend quality time with the kids playing.  Then I get a text with this on it.  Maybe I should rethink going out during dinner.

Pony Rides

Libby loves animals.  She constantly asks about riding horses specifically.  When I learned that her daycare was going to have a pony riding day I jumped at the chance to document it with my camera.  She didn't disappointed and was so happy to be on that horse - whose name was Honey.











Pure joy!

Good or Bad?

07.11.11 playing (15)
Originally uploaded by Holly Mroczkowski.

Is he up to no good? He'll never tell!

TJ vs Libby: 11 Months

Everyone says my kids look exactly alike...well, here is Libby at 11 months vs TJ at 11 months.  What do you think?


Libby: 





TJ:

TJ: 10 and 11 Months

Obviously I have gotten busy...erm lazy ... in terms of posting here.  I can't believe I skipped TJ's 10 month post!  Shame on me!  In any case, lots have happened in the past few months.  Here are some of the most noteworthy:

• Sleeping through the night - once we were over the last ear infection 5 weeks ago he started sleeping through the night.  It was a LONG 10 months but I think we're finally able to say he's sleeping through the night right now.
• Teething - He is up to NINE teeth.  Yes, NINE.  
• Kisses - When he misses me, he brings me close, opens his mouth, sticks out his tongue, and freaks me the heck out with his mouth full of teeth...that's his version of kissing and it is adorable and frightening!
• Talking - He is always babbling about something.  I thought since Libby never stopped talking he would be our quiet one...I don't think so.
• Moving around - While he isn't crawling or walking (or coming close), he is able to move around.  He's quiet about it and is stealthy like a ninja.  You can't figure out how exactly he is doing it but somehow he scoots everywhere just like his big sister did.  He just isn't as flamboyant about it.
• Table Food - He is a billy goat!  He is completely off baby food  and will eat anything that I put near his mouth.  Sadly he eats more food than his almost 4 year old sister does.
• Clothing - He is up to a size 3T in clothes.  That even breaks our record with Miss Libby!
• Water - This boy LOVES his baths and loves water of any kind.  Turn on a facet and you can entertain him for hours.

That's about all that is fit to print for us for the past 2 months.  It is hard to believe the next time I write one of these he'll no longer be considered a baby.  Of course, he'll always be my baby. =)

TJ's First Hair Cut

TJ had his first real hair cut today.  I took him to Sweet & Sassy at West County Mall and made an afternoon of it.  First we went shopping for his birthday party stuff and then people watched at the mall until his appointment at 3:00.  It was awesome just getting to spend one on one time with him.  I was a tad nervous about the hair cut and made it on a whim yesterday after noticing how crazy his hair had gotten in the last few days.  As usual, he showed me I had nothing to worry about and that he is just an angel.  He no longer looks like a baby though and looks like a little man.  Adorable!!  Here are the before/after pictures with more to come later that weren't taken with my phone =)


Before (after just waking up from a nap)



And after including a celebratory cookie since he was so awesome!

TJ: 9 Months

I thought this went fast with Libby.  It is nothing compared to how fast time flies with your 2nd.  TJ is such a fun, happy baby and it's such a joy to watch him develop each day.  He's so sociable...we didn't have that with Libby.  Although we are reaching the stage with stranger anxiety.  Honestly, if you just smile, coo at him, and tell him how cute/sweet he is, he will be completely comfortable with you.  We have had a few bad drop offs lately at daycare.  Honestly, I think that was because he had to stay at home with me for almost a week due to a double ear infection that just would not go away.  We tried 3 kinds of antibiotics and ended up with a med-cocktail of antibiotic, ear drops and steroids.  That's right - I had to give my almost 9 month old steroids for an ear infection. =(  The good news is it worked!  The bad news is we can't keep doing that if he continues to get sick with ear infections.  The Dr said we can give it one more time to see if the antibiotics work by themselves at his next ear infection (if it is occurs), but then we'll be off to see the ENT about tubes.  I am trying to avoid that at all costs if I can...but I also want what is best for him so we will do whatever.

In happier news, TJ is having table foods!  Like a rock star!  I mean we always joked that he wanted a steak and potato versus the mushed up baby food...but seriously on day 1 of telling the daycare to go for it, he had a ham & cheese sandwich and green beans.  Inhaled them.  I guess I was holding him back.  Not anymore!  He won't eat much at home but at least he is trying things at daycare.  

Now that the ear infection has gotten better, sleeping as improved too.  He's not eating near as much during the night and only gets up once between 11-3 and then that's it and he's good to go until breakfast at 8.  At least, until I publish this and totally jinx it.

Crawling is still not happening but we're working on it.  I still think he is going to walk before he crawls and just bypass that step/milestone.  He sure does love to stand and is getting so good at it!  We're working on pulling up but we've got awhile to go.  He's a big boy so that is pretty hard.  TJ is doing awesome at trying to bring himself up from laying down to a sitting position though.  That's really my next focus - although I'm not sure I want him to do that because changing this squirmy boy is already hard enough!

Oh and he loves saying, "so big" or just celebrating anything at all.  Take a look at this adorable video from last night.

So for those keeping track at home, TJ is now 31 inches long and 29lbs 7.5 oz after a VERY hefty breakfast.  I really think he's closer to mid to upper 28lbs...but we'll count that since that's what they have.  In any case, he's the size of a 2 y/o and I love every inch/roll of him!