Jen did such a nice job–check them out!
Elizabeth's Nine Month Pictures!
Feb 23rd, 2010 by ECM
Nine Month and Three Year Stats
Feb 22nd, 2010 by ECM
The kids went in for their check-ups today. Providentially, Hannah was over for breakfast and had cancelled her early afternoon lessons, so she was able to come along. Because Tommy threw probably the greatest tantrum in the history of the world at the doctor’s office, and I just don’t know how I would have been able to strip them both down, get a urine sample from Tommy (?!), calm their crankiness, and manage to talk to the doctor by myself. I threw out my back just trying to restrain Tommy, and my face still has a few scratches. I need to trim that kid’s nails next time he’s in a good mood. But I digress.
Both kiddos were healthy and on track developmentally. As expected, Elizabeth’s kindof a peanut, while Tommy is a big boy.
Elizabeth at 9 months
Height: 27 inches (29%) (Tommy was 28 1/8 inches, 50%)
Weight: 18 lbs (25%) (Tommy was 20 lbs. 9 oz., 50%)
Head circumference: 43.7 cm (Tommy’s was in inches, so I can’t compare without multiplying by 2.54 in my head, which I can’t do right now.)
Tommy at 3 years
Height: 38 3/4 inches (72%)
Weight: 38 lbs (94%)
Blood Pressure: 100/58 (who knew they checked this on three year olds?!)
Both got blood testing for lead that seemed to involve pricking them and digging around in their thumbs until blood was everywhere. Neither fussed a bit. I averted my eyes and told them they were brave. Elizabeth got another polio and Hep-B shot, and she didn’t even cry until the nurse put the bandaids on.
Dr. Wilson gave Elizabeth the go-ahead to eat meats and dairy, so she had some little pieces of cheese for lunch when we got home. Having never fed cheese to an infant before, I actually had to have the doctor walk me through how big, how they swallow it, and how much to give them. Tommy went from no dairy to gorging on cheese sticks, so I’m a newbie at this! The cheese was a big hit! Our food horizons have suddenly expanded tremendously!
Toothbrushing Lessons
Feb 22nd, 2010 by ECM
Last night, Tommy taught Elizabeth how to brush her tooth! It was a special sibling bonding time…
If you look closely in this last one, you can see Elizabeth’s very clean tooth! And no, I don’t usually just set her on the counter like this. I was holding onto her foot the whole time I took the pictures, but I’ll probably bring the bumbo up before tonight so she’s more secure!
Like Two Peas in a Pod
Feb 20th, 2010 by ECM
Truly Idiotic
Feb 19th, 2010 by ECM
So yesterday I was probably more idiotic than I’ve possibly ever been. Today Jen is coming to take Tommy’s 3 year and Elizabeth’s 9 month portraits. Tommy had a mystery bruise and serious lip chapping that Jen said she could clear up afterwards, so though he’s not looking his handsomest, we were going to go ahead and do it. Tommy’s been looking shaggy for awhile, but I didn’t get around to getting his hair cut, so I had my mom bring up the clippers. Yes, you know where this is going.
John has given Tommy some first-rate haircuts with said clippers, and I felt confident that we could do a little trimming before the pictures and then a nice, short haircut afterwards. You know, because you should never cut hair right before a portrait session. I was very conservative, using a large number attachment just to get some of the shaggies off. Then I saw an attachment that said “left ear”. Ears! I always have trouble with his ears–the poor kid often looks like Mr. Spock when I try to do them with the scissors. So why not use the clippers?
Why not indeed? Halfway through the swipe, I realized that the attachment was angled so that the short side goes close to the ear, not far from the ear. But I had turned it around. Suddenly the patch above Tommy’s left ear was bald.
Needless to say, we’re postponing the Tommy half of the photo shoot. And Jen’s going to update her FAQs on her website to remind parents NOT to attempt to cut hair within two weeks of a portrait!
Fortunately, Tommy has no idea why my mom and I burst into uproarious laughter every time we look at him. He just thinks he’s incredibly clever and funny.
And I’m pretty sure Derek will throw a fit next time I insist on cutting our son’s hair!
Pretty Much the Best Present Ever (Excluding my Engagement Ring)
Feb 18th, 2010 by ECM
Sigh. I’m in homemaker heaven.
Happy Third Birthday, Tommy!
Feb 17th, 2010 by ECM
Tommy turned three today! The day began with Mommy, Daddy, Grandma Willett, and Elizabeth coming into his room with breakfast in bed (a candle in pancakes). Tommy freaked out and started screaming–maybe it was the flame? After he calmed down, we did breakfast and presents at the table downstairs. For lunch, we had our neighbor Juliet over for grilled cheese and cake. I forgot to take pictures of them decorating their car cakes, but here’s the end result…as you can see, it was pretty fun!
Tonight our small group Bible study is coming over for dinner, so the celebrations will continue! Hard to believe this kiddo has been around for three whole years…
Tommy's First Story (Dictated to Mommy)
Feb 16th, 2010 by ECM
I will tell you a story about Tommy and Reagan going to the beach.
Once upon a time there was Tommy and Reagan. Tommy said to Reagan, “Let’s go to the beach.” So they did go to the beach, and they did pack up chips, carrots, bananas, clementines, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chocolate chips and chocolate pancakes, too. And ice cream, too. And when they were at the beach, Tommy said let’s eat picnic time, and they had picnic time. And Tommy did eat ice cream, clementines, chocolate chips, and chocolate pancakes. All the mommies and daddies were there, too. Chips, chips, chips, there were lots of chips. They did go to a lot of stores everywhere. They went to the Valentines store to get trains and engines. And they did play there in the play room down in the basement. They did play with food and pretzels. They did swim around and all the kids did swim around in the water and when they did get up in the water they all got water all over right here [their faces]. And they were sad because they did not want to go bye-bye.
Tommy said “Let’s go to the park and the UPS store with Mommy and Daddy.” So they did go to the UPS store and the chocolate factory, and they did go home and play. And Juliet was there, too. And Matthew was there, too, and Matthew’s mommy.
And they did pick up the trucks, and then they said “Let’s play Gulo Gulo,” and Tommy did go first. And then Reagan, and then Reagan’s mommy, then Matthew, and Matthew’s mommy, and Juliet, and Juliet’s mommy and daddy, and Matthew’s daddy.
They did go to the park. And they did go to a museum up in the suburbs. They did go back home in the car there, and Tommy was a worker and he did work with the car. And they did play with the cars and they did play with the babies and they did wash their hands in the sink in there. And Katie was there, too. And Caroline, too.
That is the end.
Tommy loves hats. Most days he sports 3 or 4 at different points in the day. Today he found out that Lizzie has 5 or 6 hats, too! He insisted on trying them all on her.
“like a fireman!”
“Mommy, why is Izzie sad?”
“She is happy now!”
“She did spit up all over.”
“She is standing like a big girl!”
Elizabeth at 9 Months
Feb 13th, 2010 by ECM
Once again, her check-up isn’t for another week or so, but here are pictures from today!
(If you look really carefully, you can see her little lower left front tooth in this one!)