Fisher and his Mom are up to...

I'm such a bad blogger, but life is so BUSY right now!! As I said in my previous post, I'm taking classes for my Master's. School has also been in full swing now for over 2 weeks (23!! kiddos as opposed to 16 last year). And, if you have the time to read to the END of this post, I'll have more on my busy-ness for you to find out about :).

As for Fisher...he seems to learn more each day! And when I say "learn", that doesn't always mean it's positive and productive ;-). For example, he has learned the fine art of the full-blown temper tantrum. Lucky for me, this usually happens around 4:00-right when I get home. It's usually due to no nap all day. He has decided that it's more fun to play. And since he doesn't have a crib, he just gets up and does what he pleases. But it's not limited to no-nap days. I have come home to find him napping-and me being relieved! But when he wakes up-he is mister CRABBY pants anyway. His tntrums consist of us trying to figure out what he wants-milk, banana, fruit snacks. Fisher will say he wants the offered object, but then screams it away. He lays on the floor kicking, screaming, and crying. It certainly is a practice in patience! We usually try to wait him out (about 20 minutes!) because picking him up just makes it worse. When he finally comes around, he's back to the funny, sweet boy who loves to play. I've been told this is a phase-and phases pass, so I guess we'll just wait it out!

I taught Fisher how to throw things in the trash can. Big mistake. The other day I found 3 cars, a cup, and some letters from the fridge sitting right on top. Fisher has the singing Leap Frog alphabet, and I'm afraid the "J" is lost forever. There is a chance he threw it down the basement steps (another new game he has taught himself...), but we haven't found it yet. Maybe the cats have batted it around somewhere.  If it is truly lost, I guess he'll never learn the letter J...

Fisher has learned how to destroy his room. And this is what it looks like (and the hall outside his door) if left to his own devices for long enough...

  

Oh well-I'm sure it's fun. He is at an age where he can kind of help clean up, so I assign him a category (like animals) and he manages to get all of those toys put away while I do everything else. I'm looking at it as bonding and learning time right now. We'll see how long that lasts :).

We got Fisher an easel a few weeks ago. He loves it! One side is a chalk board, the other is dry erase. I just got him some paint, chunky brushes, and "no-spill" cups (we'll see about that one!). I need to get something to cover the floor then we're ready to go! He painted at the Magic House a while ago ad didn't want to stop! I'm sure it will be a hit.

Fisher likes sharing his Cheerios...

He enjoys wearing other's shoes...
 

Fisher has discovered that he has control over his door...and he knocks when he wants to get out!

And he has discovered that closets are are a great place to play hide and seek!

Thanks for reading this far...If you want to know more about what I've been up to, click here and check out my new blog!  I know...you might be thinking-she's starting ANOTHER blog!?!  But you'll see why when you go there!

reason or excuse?

I am taking two classes for my master's degree right now.  That is my reason (excuse?) for not updating this blog.  Shame on me!!  This is my journal of Fisher and how he's growing and changing.  I know that if I don't update it, I will never fully remember these amazing times.  First-I have to say that the transition to 2-years old has been a big one.  Here are some bullets:

• I finally took Fisher's strapped-to-the-chair booster seat off and he is officially a "phone-book-boy".  He does really well, I just have to make sure I am always sitting next to him because if he decides he's "all done", he'll just try to get down.  In a normal chair, this might not be a big deal, but we have the tall pub-style chairs and if he slides down, he might hurt himself.
• Fisher now drinks from an open glass ("gass") when we eat meals.  He is so cute-he knows to use two hands and to go slow.  He really thinks it's cool-I do too!
• My "baby" has not used his pacifier since July 18th.  Daddy and I got him a real fish (a Betta) for his birthday and it sits right next to his bed.  He LOVES him-we named him Bruce (after the shark in Finding Nemo).  That night, he asked for his "sassy"->paci->pacifier.  I said-you're a big boy now-you can watch Bruce to help you fall to sleep.  He fussed for a BIT, and by the time I was to the door he was quiet.  And I didn't hear a peep after that.  The hardest transition has been at nap time, but he gets over it pretty quickly.  He asks for it almost every time he goes down to sleep, but I remind him he's a big boy and that's all it takes!  It has been much easier than I thought it would be.
• I've put Fisher on the potty a few times-and he doesn't mind sitting there-but I don't think he gets it yet.
• We put together Fisher's toddler bed last week.  He was super interested during the whole assembly (and dis-assembly of the crib) process.  Fisher wanted NOTHING to do with the bed once it was all set up-screamed running out of the room!  We had to coax Lucy to get on his bed before Fisher decided to try it out.  He didn't nap in it that day (friend's birthday party), or the next day (Botannical Gardens for Gramma's birthday), or the next day (went to Gramma's so we could get ready for his party on Saturday), OR the next day (HIS birthday party).  But each of those nights were amazing!  NO paci, and he went right to sleep like he's been sleeping in that bed forever.  The first struggle came at Sunday's nap time.  He cried for an HOUR-mixed in with me going in reassuring him that he was a big boy and it was nap time.  When he was finally quiet for a good amount of time, I peeked in and saw him curled up on his floor with some toys.  I wish I had taken a picture!  I gently picked him up and put him in his bed-he stayed asleep!  The next day's nap-cried for 3o minutes.  The next day, he cried-NOT AT ALL!!  He stayed in his bed and talked to Pablo, and soon just fell  asleep.  I hope this is not jinxing anything...
• At Fisher's 2-year check up, he is 3o and 1/2 inches tall (which if you believe in those height predictors-double their height at 2 years old-Fisher will be 5'1"...poor kid-I hope that's wrong!).  He also weighs a WHOPPING 2o.8 pounds (a gain of o.5 ounces from the 18 month check up)!  Needless to say, the doctor was curious about his apetite and eating habits.  In my opinion, Fisher is a pretty good eater.  The doc suggested beefing up the calories by adding things like pudding and Ensure to his diet.  Problem is, he doesn't like pudding (what!?!) or the strawberry-flavored Ensure I got for him.  I tried to mix the Ensure with milk, now he doesn't want to drink milk-he thinks I'm trying to trick him!  We'll see...
• and file this under "Just because he's NEVER done it, doesn't mean he'll NEVER do it".  The other day my Mom called and I was on the phone for less than 1o minutes.  I heard Fisher playing, but it didn't occur to me that I had left the bathroom door open.  We never close the bathroom door.  After I got off the phone, I found him in the bathroom having a GREAT time putting EVERYthing in my make-up drawer one-by-one into the TOILET!!  Needless to say, I've done a lot of replacing of items.  I couldn't really get mad-I'm sure it ws a lot of fun.  I can even laugh about it now.  We keep the door closed now.

I can't choose which pics to post so I decided to make another slideshow.  **Michelle-there are pics of Fisher's room as requested (better late than never, right!).

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bubby

To my sweet Bubby-

It's hard to believe that just two short years ago, you came into this world and changed my life in the most amazing and wonderful of ways.  Two years ago at this time you were only just over 3 hours old, yet it was hard for me to remember what life was like without you.

You have changed so much and you amaze me all the time with your sense of humor, cuteness, and intelligence.  

The past two years have been amazing watching you grow and change.  I can't wait to see what you have in store for us next.


Love, Mommy

numbers

We have a routine of singing the ABC's when we brush teeth. Now I've started counting to 10 as I change his diaper. Both are a good distraction for him so I can get what I need done. Fisher will count with me now, and every so often he says the next number before I do!  And for some reason, he has to yell most of the numbers :).  I love the way he says 7, and I had to include the end where I try to get him to do it again-too funny!  thx for watchin'!

reasons being a mom is marvelous...

It was nights like tonight that I have envisioned motherhood to be like.

During our cuggle time before I put Fisher to bed, I sang a few songs to him.  I'll admit that I don't have the best singing voice (or even A singing voice), but he says YAY! after every song.  One of my favorites to sing is the Itsy Bitsy Spider and I do little hand motions.  Tonight was the first time he tried to imitate the movements.  

He also asked for my hand and held it close to him (while my heart was melting).  I sure do love that kid!!

a typical conversation

I feel like Fisher's first sentence is right around the corner.  He may not speak in full sentences yet, but he sure does know how to carry on a conversation.  Here is a pretty typical example:

F-'rari

Me-that's your Ferari (it's from the movie Cars)

F-red

Me-yes-it's red

F-open

Me-who let you open the ferari?

F-uh'den

Me-uncle Den let you open that ferari?

F-yah

F-eyes

Me-he has eyes

F-yah

aaaand...repeat this SAME conversation multiple times a day-just insert a different car/toy. If you aren't really paying attention or don't engage fast enough, he will repeat repeat repeat & REPEAT until you respond so he can move onto the next phase.  And if Dave and I are both in the room/area, he will repeat until we have both respoded.

And a little background on the ferari.  As I had posted back in April, my brother has this "thing" with not letting Luke open some of his Cars cars and other "Matchbox"-type cars-thinking they'll be worth something someday.  A few weeks ago, Fisher found this Cars ferari still in the package.  He asked me, Missy, anyone who would listen, to open it.  Everyone told him to ask Uncle Den-who actually said yes!  Fisher slept with the 'rari that night and it was "the" toy he had to have for the next few days-and so began the conversation dictated above...

new best friend

Here are a few pictures I just *had* to post of Fisher with his new best friend, Pablo.  Fisher got Pablo on our last trip to Toys-r-Us 2 days ago.  He literally has not let him out of his sight since.  Pablo came to Red Lobster for Papa's birthday last night.  Pablo came to Kohl's tonight.  I ran into a co-worker and her husband in the check out at Kohl's and I tried to get Fisher to say hi or give some acknowledgement.  He gave them nothing until they noticed he had Pablo. Their grandkids love Backyardigans too, so they asked Fisher who he had-"PAH-BO!!"  They talked with him about the other characters and Fisher totally opened up.  He loves  his Pah-bo!