Swing, Swing

A favorite game of Owen's to play with Matt is "Swing, Swing"! As he's getting bigger/heavier, it's getting harder to do, but he sure loves it! But really, who wouldn't?

In this video, he's also pretending to be a kitty-cat. So if you can't understand him, he' saying the "kitty-cat is in the basket" and then at the end, "the kitty-cat is going to scratch" what (obviously) cracks me up is that he shakes his leg like Jack does, when he's scratching or is being scratched! (He's also a bit dizzy.)

Owen's Big Boy Room

We finally bought Owen his big boy bed and what a bed it is! We got a great deal off Craigslist and had some cleaning and sewing to do, but it looks like new now and man, oh man does he LOVE it!

He hasn't slept in yet. We tried once at nap time, but it didn't work out (he wouldn't lay down), so we're going to wait for the newness to wear off before we try again!

Now we just need a dresser and we can officially move him into his new room! So exciting!

Before we got the mattress on there he could only play under, in the tent. He loves to hide in there, bring all his toys in there and sing in there.

Potty Training

We're not! We've tried many a day diaper-less and I can tell you the result is always the same...me cleaning pee up all over the house. We say a 100 times, when you need to go pee pee let's go to the potty and he'll say "OK" every single time. And then stand there and pee on the floor 2 seconds later! We put big boy underwear on him and he peed and pooped in them without a second thought.

Although we did make progress one day when we actually got him to sit on the potty AFTER he peed on the floor. He usually won't go for it. But we had jelly beans and he's a big fan of the jelly bean so he sat there asking for "more jelly beans please". We finally said you get more jelly beans if you go pee in the potty. Sure enough he about 2 minutes later we heard a little tinkle tinkle! Not much but boy were we excited! We called and told dad (who was running an errand) and left a message for Grandma Claudia (I'm sure she still has it saved). Owen was very proud to tell everyone "I went pee pee on the potty!"

However, he will not go near thing again. He says "I need a diaper, please." Well at least we know, he knows that it CAN be done.

I decided we needed proof of such a special day (his face cracks me up!).

Anyway, most books I've read say, potty training takes a day, you just have to pick the right day! Once they're ready, it happens and it happens fast. I'm actually in no rush for it. I mean, I've been doing for 2.5 years already and it looks like I have at least that still ahead, so really what's the point!

Owen's smart and stubborn, it'll happen on his time and I really don't think there's a darn thing we can do about it!

Jumping

Owen has been into climbing everything and anything for awhile now, but he just figured out the best and fastest way down is to jump.

This video is an example of Owen jumping, but it's not one of his bests or highest. Lately he's challenging himself with higher and higher jumps. Nothing seems too high and he tends to land them all very solidly. I'll try to get a video of him, as he climbs up and prepares to jump, because they all start with "Watch this mom-mom it's going to be a BBBIIIIIIGGGG jump, ok." All while waving his pointer finger in the air.

The kid totally entertains me!

Playing at the park.

So Owen still asks for Jacob and Angela (who have moved to Texas) quite often and it's a little sad, because he just doesn't understand. He knows that Jacob is in Texas, but he doesn't know where that is or if he'll be back, so he's started asking "Who's coming over today?" or if we're going to the park "Who's at the park today?" I'll name who's going and he'll always add "J-ba and Anga?" Poor little guy, misses his friend!

In a distraction effort, we've started meeting Lauren and her two year old son Tyler at the park or having them come over to play and they get along pretty well. Owen called him "Cash" (a cousin) for the longest time, but now he calls him Tyler or "hey buddy". The other day they were playing ball and doing a great job throwing it back and forth to each other and trying to catch it. It was super cute so I decided to take a video of it.

Of course, this is what Owen does as soon as I start filming:

Owen & Tyler "talking":
Owen:

Tyler:

Two Healthy Boys!

Owen had his 2 year well check appointment today and he did great! The doctor was impressed with his communication and said he should make a video of Owen on being the perfect patient! He really was so cute. Before the doctor came in, he really wanted to play with the ear/eye thingies on the wall, but we kept saying that those are for the doctor. So as soon as Dr. Lopez walked it Owen pointed to them and smiled! Everything looked great, strong heart, lungs, ears and eyes!

And he's growing: almost 35 inches tall and almost 26 lbs!

We also had our ultrasound today that confirmed what we already thought! Another BOY! We're so excited. I love the idea of little brothers. I just couldn't be happier about it! Everything looked amazingly well. The tech said over and over that she never gets such beautiful pictures of the heart, spine and brain! As long is everything is there and working, I couldn't care less about how photogenic he is, but I sure appreciated her reassurance!

When we asked her is she could tell the gender, she said "Oh honey, I know what this baby is!" And sure enough she zooms right in and we see a scrotum sac and a penis. The kid was hiding nothing!

He was sleeping during most the ultrasound. Face down, all cozied up! (So I'm hoping this kid is a sleeper.) But we couldn't get any good face shots, in fact we only got one picture from the whole 45 minute experience. But it was amazing and reassuring and exciting and I cannot wait to meet this little guy!!!!

All in all we had a wonderful day. Two amazing little boys, can anyone ask for more??!!

Owen's first dentist appointment!

Owen had his very first dental appointment today and he did fantastic! He listened to the doctor and did everything she asked him to do. She cleaned his teeth with an electric brush, which apparently he didn't like, but you would have never known as he just sat there. But when she stopped, he said "I don't like that, don't do that please!" The dentist just laughed and said she was done!

He has 18 of his 20 teeth (the top molars are still to come), an overbite and plenty of plaque (now removed)!

I was so prepared for the worst, that I cannot get over how pleasant the experience was!

We have a busy week of appointments: today dentist, tomorrow Owen has his 2 year well check and I have my big ultrasound where we find out if we have a baby boy or baby girl cooking in there!

Busy, busy!

Nana & Poppy

We hadn't seen Poppy in a few months so we headed over for dinner during his brief visit to the Bay Area (you get about 24 hours and then he's gone)! Owen loves playing in their playhouse in the backyard and of course, he cannot get enough of their dogs, Shaq and Sierra!

Enjoying his dessert!

Giving Poppy a kiss good-bye. Snuggling Nana.

Hometown Days

San Carlos has a great little festival every year to celebrate our little town! It was close to 100 degrees, so it was mighty hot to be outside and I would have paid good money for a cold beer or four.

And on a total sidebar: yes, I do miss drinking and I miss it a lot and although it should be a seperate post, I don't want a drink, I want to get drunk! Now back to the fun weekend we had!


Owen loved all the fun activities they had for kids!


Although there was a petting zoo and pony rides, he had already seen the giant slide and bounce house and that's all he could concentrate on, so we saw the animals briefly but we didn't have the time or patience for them. We had to high tail it to where the REAL action was:

After all the sliding and jumping we found an old school bus that had an obstacle course set up inside! It was mostly older kids, but that didn't stop our little monkey from jumping right in!

Things we're working on...

So it seems that we have in fact, been hit by the terrible twos!

What I see with Owen, that is different than the other kids his age in his playgroup, is that he doesn't scare easily.

Example 1: A kid will haul ass toward the street and the parent will grab him/her look firmly in the face and say "NO" and the kid will start to cry. Do the same thing to Owen and he laughs, right in your face!

Example 2: A kid will run around a park, but get a little too far and stop and look around for mom or dad, check for approval and then continue on or run back. Owen will run away, far away without ever looking back. I've followed him, (stealth style) and he'll get away and just go about his business. Never once worrying that A) he might be in trouble or B) he might be in danger!

Example 3: A kid takes a toy away from another, the parent says "we don't take toys from our friends" and the kid gives it back or cries or throws a fit (typical two year old behavior). Owen takes a toy away from another kid, I say the exact same words. Owen gives the toy back, proceeds to take my hand, leads me into another room and says, "mom sit here" and then goes and takes the toy!!

Seriously! What do I do here?!? We are doing time outs and removing him from the situations and since he loves his freedom, carrying him more when he won't listen and runs off. But these consequences are not yet changing the behavior and the teacher in me KNOWS what this means; the consequence is not a logical match for Owen. There's something else I'm missing!

Alas, I will not give up. I am no pushover! I will not be beat by a two year old! Run down and exhausted, yes! Beat?! Hell no!

Timing is everything!

The timing of this pregnancy is completely throwing me off!

With Owen, I was working and I found out I was pregnant right at the end of the school year so that made for a lot of 'landmarks' to get through before our little bundle arrived: camp, summer, the start of school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and then I still had about a month to get ready. It seemed to drag on and on! Now....I got nothing between now and the arrival of our newest family member!

The only 'big' thing between now and then is camp in June. Summer will fly by and then it's September and then it's time for the baby to arrive! It's freaking me out! Now don't get me wrong...we have a LOT to do between now and then, a whole heck of a lot!

J-ba and Anga Move away!

Here are few pictures of our last playgroup with Angela and Jacob. I had to stand way back from the gift giving, because I was the only one about to burst into tears! Our playgroup made a precious little photo book of our memories together.

It was a sad week of good-byes and Owen and I will miss them terribly! I can't imagine how I'm going to spend my days without them. Owen asks for "J-ba and Anga" everyday and I don't know when he'll understand that we can't see them everyday anymore! I'm starting my count down to their return (about a year)!

Can't even imagine my life in May 2010, we'll both have a 7 month old babies (Angela is due the week before me)!! Owen and Jacob will be well over 3, in big boy beds, and (::crosses fingers::) potty trained!

So smart!

I was looking back at old posts and saw where I had listed words Owen knew! Oh my goodness! Owen can say anything and everything now!

It's so completely impressive how kids learn. Owen has an amazing vocabulary and an understanding of non-concrete concepts that blows my mind. He's only two and I find all two year olds amazing, not just mine. Those two years are insane. I can't even think of what he DOESN'T know!

He uses tenses, time phrases (yesterday, later, etc), feelings (sad, mad,etc), and thoughts (remember, I almost forgot, etc) all properly.

One thing we are working on is letter recognition. He can say his ABCs but he doesn't identify them yet. He can also count to about 12, but can only 'find' the zero. So that's on our list.

Stupid Computers!

Our computer died! Luckily we bought the extended warranty and it's being replaced, but I'm so sick of it! We only use our laptop for pictures and the Internet....why is that so hard?

Hopefully we won't lose all our pictures from the last year. We just paid a stupid amount to get all of Owen's newborn pictures off our old-dead computer, that we thought we had backed up (but somehow hadn't). We hadn't backed up our latest pictures yet, because we just got the external drive back from the computer guys! So annoying! AAAAAHHHH!