Obsessions

I'm dividing this post in two. That way I'll be sure to have two posts this month.

I'm currently obsessed with:

1.) Having Pandora on my TV. We got a new TV for Christmas and while it is big and fancy, my favorite feature is that it has an app for Pandora. We now have about a billion stations. It is to the point that whenver I say, "Let's turn on some music!" Russell gets a big smile and bounces up and down in that toddler sort of way--a pre-music dance. A surprising favorite is the Raffi station because in addition to Raffi, it plays Sound of Music, Little Mermaid, Jungle Book, Oldies, and School House Rock. I learned that adding Regina Spektor to my Arcade Fire station made it not cool anymore so I had to delete it and start all over.  I totally have a guilty pleasure station called All the Single Ladies (Beyonce). I 'thumbs-up' some pretty ridiculous pop songs (except for the Katy Perry ones because I hate her) and it makes mopping the floors and getting dinner ready a little funner.  The Kanye West station was a bust, but I shouldn't be surprised. I just wanted to see, you know?
2.) Steel Cut Oatmeal. It is such a deal when you buy that bag at Costco! I once even got Brandon to eat a bowl sans sugar. I think it is growing on him!
3.) Game of Thrones. This one is only a maybe.  I just made it through book one. It was super super long and it kind of reminds me of Pillars of the Earth which I did not like, but I find myself thinking of it all the time. What is going to happen to the Stark family? And isn't that crazy what happened to Daenerys?  

And that's about all for me.  

For Brandon, I'm not even sure. Football's over, so that leaves a major void in his system until next fall. He continues to be obsessed with Blue Bell ice cream and Red Robin.  He found a new reality show to adore, which is fine by me because it is way better than the Bachelor. It is called, The Challenge: Battle of the Exes. You'll have to ask him. And while you do, you should tell him to start blogging again. He was so good at it, remember?

And next time...Russell's obsessions. They are very clear cut.  Stay tuned!

Is This the Beginning...?

So I loosely thought I would make a New Year's Resolution to blog 2x a month. And here I am, on the last day of the month entering the first blog of the New Year.  Hmph. That's why it was a loose resolution. I never wrote it down or even mentioned it to anyone. Doing it that way means not following through with it is OK.

Anyways, this month Russell learned to shake his head to say, "No."

At first, it was actually pretty cute.  See below video.

And now...I'm going to be honest...it is one of my least favorite milestones to date. He uses that skill all the time! 

"Russell, do you want milk?"

Head shake no.

"Russell, should we play with some toys?"

Head shake no.

"Russell, let's go to the car!"

Head shake no.

The only thing he seems to not regularly exercise his right to head shake is to 1.) eat bananas 2.) go outside and 3.) get a blanket from his crib to play with (he loves blankets, it is pretty cute).

So lately, there's been a lot of head shaking going on...which means a lot of "No, I'm not going to do what you want." Which also means that Russell is fully aware of what is going on around him and has opinions. Although, I will say that he sometimes seems to shake his head just because he can, even though he might really want something. I have a feeling that is usually the case when I offer him milk or some cheerios, as evidenced by the fact that I will put those items in a place where he can access them and he usually does, once he realizes that I'm not about to force him to have a snack.

The thing that really worries me about this is the future...I didn't realize I was going to be navigating through "No!" starting at 15 mos...Hopefully I won't be too much of a give-inner.  If I am, don't tell me right away. I might take it personally as that tends to happen. You can maybe tell my mom or Brandon and they'll (try to) brake it to me gently so I don't feel too horrible. You can tell me if I ask (although you should still use your best judgement here). You can also tell me in an indirect way, like "When this happens at our house, I do xxxx."  

Anyways, we hope you are well. Come visit us!

Lights Lights Lights

How is it that Christmas is in four days and then 2012 is here??

We've had quite the Christmas tree saga at our house this year. There was one person who wanted one, one person who was moderate to highly opposed to one, and one person who just wanted more sweet potatoes. I bet you can guess who was who without too much effort.

We eventually decided that a tabletop tree was the best for our needs...mostly because we could have a tree but have it out of reach for Russell. Of course, the tree that I had imagined was either out of stock everywhere or was more than I wanted to spend. I eventually found an adequate tree (that I had to exchange once because I accidentally bought one without a base) and set it up. Almost instantly I knew it wouldn't do.

See, Russell is obsessed with lights right now. He started noticing them a few months ago and I so I thought I would indulge his interest and teach him the sign for light. Now that he knows it, he pretty much does it every time he walks under or near one. And since we are in the age of electricity and in the middle of winter, there is a light nearby at all times. When we are out doing errands, he is constantly doing the sign as we pass by various lit objects--store clerks think he is saying hi and I usually don't have the heart to tell them that he is just telling us that he sees a light.  It is kind of hilarious and a little odd. Maybe I need to teach my kid more signs or expose him to more stuff because surely there more to this great world of ours than lights.

Anyways, once Russell saw that the little table top tree had lights...he was fascinated.  I put some lights up in our windows which are in the same room as the little table top tree and each time they were all on, Russell would pace back and forth in excitement, frantically doing the light sign. And each time I saw him making his way over to the teeny tiny tree, a little part of me got really sad inside and said, "You are failing him, Alison. It is your duty to give him a great Christmas and this tree is really sub par. Just think how happy he'll be with a bigger, better lit tree." And so I stewed about it, whined a little, and tried to make Brandon feel bad about our pathetic tree.

It didn't work. BUT-I did realize that Brandon wasn't opposed to a tree, he just didn't want to be responsible for it. And so I went out a bought a super cheap, medium sized artificial tree. It is no freshly cut evergreen like Leslie and Clay and Kersten and Tai have (now you guys have to post pictures of your awesome trees so that my four readers can see it), but I was able to set it up on my own during Russell's nap.

And my Child-Spoiler instincts were right--the boy LOVES the tree. The first time he saw it, he started making sounds that I'd never heard...all sorts of syllable combinations and squealing. Then there was pointing, flashing of the light sign, and some heavy breathing. He even backwards walked into my lap so that he could sit and admire it with me. Those five minutes of Russell in baby-overdrive made it all worth it.

All our Christmas Glory

Now that the tree is decorated, Russell has an even funner time because he now gets to flash the light sign and pull of ornaments and those can happen practically in one motion. To top it all off, he has learned his first word (kind of).  See if you can pick it up in this video:

Merry Christmas One and All!

12 Mos (Belatedly)

People keep saying, "Oh, once Russell starts walking, he'll thin right out."  I keep quiet and say to myself, "Well, he is walking..."

 I love this bird's eye picture of him walking...you really see that tummy protruding. Between that big head and that Buddha belly, it is amazing he is as balanced as he is! I keep meaning to do a photo shoot of him in a diaper or something to really document that tummy, but I know it will just end up looking like this:

Adorable, yes (incredibly so) but still? No way Jose. It is next to impossible to keep that baby in one place.  Photos these days just end up with him either running the other way or with him running to grab the camera.

He turned a year almost a month ago. Time flies so quickly it freaks me out.
Some 12 mos stats:

• 21.9 lbs--56%
• 29.5 inches long--19% (although we are wondering if that is accurate as we recently measured him shorter)
• Fave Foods: Grapes, Sweet Potatoes, Bread. He can practically stuff an entire banana in his mouth at once, too. It is amazing. We have learned to give him only 3-4 bites at a time because he'll put it all in there. He's not into self-regulating yet. But then again, neither am I.
• Fave Book: Peek-a-Who? (We had to take this one away because he has almost eaten the entire cover). As Brandon said this morning, "That book is literally a part of him" 
• Fave Pastime: Walking, Getting into the dishwasher, trying to sneak into the laundry room, playing with a cell phone (preferably a working one), pulling dishtowels off the oven handle, seeing other kids, pointing at stuff, searching underneath his high chair for crumbs.
• Fave Words: None. He jabbers baby gibberish all day...but nothing close to a word yet.   
• Dislikes: Getting his diaper changed before bed (torture for everyone involved!), watching Dad leave for work, the hairdryer, and the vacuum...Russell actually made up his own sign for hairdryer and uses it when he sees me getting ready in the morning as if to say, "Are you going to do that scary thing, Mom?" and when I nod and then assure him that it is OK, he starts to pace back and forth, his eyes welling with tears.  It is really sad, actually. I get tempted to not do it, but don't because I think it will reinforce that the hairdryer is a scary and bad thing. He'll grow out of it, right?  
• Teeth: Top 4, Bottom 4, and a molar is currently pushing through on the top left side...yikes!

Happy Belated Birthday Son. We are so glad you are ours. Thank you for coming to join us.

Who Knew?

Yesterday, when Brandon came home from work, he saw a purchase I had made and said, "You bought those? I didn't think that was something you'd do." It was these (except the Halloween variety): 

I was kind of surprised he said that because he knows of my affection...there has been quite a few times where Brandon has smuggled one of these cookies from work for me because he knew I'd be jealous if he had one and I didn't, or when he's encourage me to snitch one from the dessert table at a potluck before the dessert portion of the evening officially began. I may or may not have gone to Target yesterday morning because of a hunch that they were going to be on post-Halloween clearance. They are so soft and sugary! Who cares that they are store boughten and not made from love (and with a giant mess) in my humble kitchen! And FYI, the Target brand kind are just as good. A guilty pleasure for sure.

The other 'Who Knew' thing is about our child...of course. And it is: Who knew how amazing it would be to watch Russell begin walking? I've been seriously reveling in this stage. He started walking a little over a month ago, just before General Conference (a biannual conference when Mormons listen to talks from their leaders), and it was one of the funnest and most joyful things I have experienced. He had experienced with a few independent steps here and there, and as I had mentioned before, he had been obsessed with cruising along furniture and walls for months. And then finally, he just took off. Within the span of about forty-five minutes, he went from walking a few steps to climbing up stairs and doing laps around the kitchen. All that cruising finally paid off!

We happened to be in Mexico, and my parents, grandparents, and my Aunt Jeanne got to witness the spectacle. It was wonderful to share that with them. Each evening, we took Russell down to the beach, where the firm but forgiving sand from low tide provided the perfect environment for him to explore and practice using those legs. That first day, I didn't even take any pictures, I just wanted enjoy the sight. Who knew such a milestone would be so special. 

And now a month later, it is still so fun to follow him around--mostly because it is still so clear that he is loving this new freedom. He babbles and laughs to himself as he walks from room to room; he is often more content to explore than to play with toys. He's got this waddle that makes his bum shake and a perfectly round Buddha belly that just leads the way. Just last week, I witnessed my child running off with a group of kids to play and I said to myself, "This is happening already?!"  I didn't have to encourage him, he just went...my baby. Imagine what I'll be saying on his first day of kindergarten. He still prefers to eat stuff off the ground and suck on the toys rather than interact too much with the other kids (and he is still so short that the other kids tend to yank on his hair and ears), but he wants to be with them, has the capability to do it, and now all I can do is watch it happen.      

The first video is of Russell doing all his tricks, walking, waving, and doing baby sign language.  He knows about five signs and mostly uses them in the right context with his own interpretations of how to do them, but it is fun to see him learn and then use the signs. 

The second video is of Russell walking in his 'big boy shoes'. The shoes are much clunkier than his other shoes but are important for walking around on our Arizona landscaping...ie rocks. He has a heavier step than normal because he isn't used to wearing such a heavy item on his feet and it was really funny at the time, but I'm posting this (although it is rather shaky) because he is so happy and is making his typical "life is so fun" sounds.

If You Like it Then You Should Put a Can on It...

 

I cannot get Beyonce songs out of my head, peoples. I think that is what happens when you and your husband are really tired and the baby is in bed but you're not ready for bed...you just kind of end up watching the most recent VH1 countdown show. Those things are addicting. That particular evening, I even said, "I'm just going to DVR this so we don't have to watch all the commercials." So I did, but we kept watching anyways, commercials and all. Because we couldn't turn away.  BTW, VH1 brought back Pop-Up Video. I'm kinda excited in the most lamest of ways.

Back to Beyonce. I kind of love Beyonce because she is so pretty and she can actually sing real real good--did you see her on Oprah's last show? She was rocked it. And on the American Idol finale? She put all the contestants to shame. And I kind of hate Beyonce because every time she comes on the tube, Brandon says, "She's basically a stripper" and then I look at her outfit and ask myself, "Am I ready for all that jelly?" because there's no denying that she has almost no clothes on and is dancing kinda crazy-like.  

Anyways, that was my opening tangent.

I wanted to tell you about canning! I did it! Mostly with my mother's help, but I now have a special shelf with mason jars filled with Utah peaches, ready to enjoy all year long. And right next to those peaches are jars and jars of jam. I decided that good jam is one of my most very favorite things. Right up there with Russell, the beach, my new Havaiana flip flops, and the pretty bougainvillea bush out by our pool.

Several weeks ago, I ordered two crates of peaches from Utah and then my mommy and I went to town. She pulled out the canning supplies that she inherited from my Great Grandma Kesterson (my father's maternal grandparents) and told me how to sterilize jars, efficiently peel gazillions of peaches, how to ensure that the peaches don't brown once they are preserved, and all sorts of other special know-hows. It was so fun...fun to learn a new skill, fun to have my mom teach it to me, and fun to have so much to show afterwards. I also think I can do it again and without so much guidance, which made it an even better experience. I haven't yet decided if canning is worth it the expense etc, but it was important to me to learn the skill. The jam, however, was so easy and tastes so much better than the store boughten stuff, that I'd do that again for sure. I mean I'd of course do it again with my mom right next to me because her company was delightful, but, well you know what I mean.  

 

Russell makes a lot of things funner, but he was actually the worst part of the whole canning episode. He pretty much looked like this the entire time.

The expression 'baby underfoot' has quite the literal meaning as he either tugged at my ankles or stood between my legs and the counter the entire time, begging for attention. "Me Mom, not peaches! Me!"

And just so you know, two crates of peaches was A LOT. Two batches of canned peaches, four batches of jam (two for me, two for my mom), 2 1/2 gallon bags of frozen peaches, a peach crisp for book club, and plenty for eating along the way.     

Thanks mom!

The pic is a little fuzzy...but recently the wash near our house flooded. We woke Russell so we could go take a look. Usually that area behind us is bone dry.

Baby Musings II

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I think about is paper. I love it! I love to rip it, I love to wave it in the air and up and down, and I especially love to bite it. My mom hates it when I play with paper because I get so excited that I start sucking and chewing on it. Which, why wouldn't I? It is so fun when you suck on it so much that the paper gets all soggy and start to stick to one another. I love the way disintegrating paper feels and tastes in my mouth! Yum yum YUM!! She's always rushing over and pulling paper out of my hands and then digging spitwads out of my mouth. The thing she doesn't realize is that she can't stop me. There's paper everywhere! Those lower level bookshelves are my fave. All those paperbacks...it's like paradise! And then sometimes, a piece of mail drops to the floor and I'm all over it. I have ears that know exactly what falling paper sounds like. The best is when my mom leaves her purse on the floor and she hasn't zipped it up.  There are reciepts oozing out if it and begging to be played with. She always gets so flustered that I keep finding paper, it is a war she'll never win!

When I'm not thinking about paper, I'm thinking about walking. I'm only thinking about it, not really doing it. I don't really get the point of it, actually. I'm a pretty quick crawler and I walk along the walls like nobody's business. I pretty much do laps around the kitchen and family room all day. It is way funner than those silly toys Mom always tries to get me to play with. And, cruising is how I troll for paper. See, sometimes paper slips under the sofa or under the counter and sometimes a book isn't quite pushed in all the way on a shelf and the only way you'd ever know is if you cruise by places fifty times a day. It is quite the rush seeing paper so available. But anyways, my mom and dad are pretty much obsessed with walking. They do this thing where they hold onto my hand to help me walk around. It is usually pretty fun, except sometimes, they let go of my hand. At first I thought it was because they were distracted, but then I realized it was because they were trying to trick me into walking all by myself. How rude! Well, I'm onto them. As soon as they do that, I drop to the ground and refuse to stand up again. Sometimes I whine, even. That's actually the best thing to do because then I get picked up. I only like to walk when I can hold on to stuff. 

I also have this thing called "Welcome to my Learning Farm" My mom says it is a 'walker' but really, it is this way awesome thing that I get to push around and it sings to me! "Welcome to my Learning Farm, we have lots to show you....Shapes and colors, music too....There's so much to do-oo!" Oh I love that song. Anyways, I'll walk when I can hold on to "Welcome to my Learning Farm," the furniture or wall, or my mom or dad's hand. Any other way is totally unnecessary.    


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See that copy of the Ensign? I totally ripped that one up! Yessss. And Mom's book? You can totally see a perfect bite mark in it. I'm so awesome at eating paper. And yes, those are bruises on my head. Sometimes I fall OK? And sometimes my mom doesn't watch me close enough.



PS: The video from last time should work now. My mom didn't realize it was on a private setting.