Our Week in Pictures

When I wait a week or more to blog I tend to have a hard time thinking of what to blog about. I'll think about things throughout the week to write about but forget them by the time I sit down at the computer. I usually end up going back through my pictures to remember what went on that week.

The Fort -

It rained a bit last week and on one of these days I decided that Kalin and I needed a rainy day project to keep us occupied since we couldn't go on a walk. I decided to build Kalin a fort. My sister's and I used to do this all the time when we were kids so I thought it would be fun to build one for Kalin. He was surprisingly good (not helpful, but not destructive either) while I was building the fort. I think he was just confused about why mommy was draping the front room with a bunch of blankets and sheets. He enjoyed the fort once it was built though.

Chocolate Puddin' -

I made some chocolate pudding and let Kalin lick the whisk. He thoroughly enjoyed it and ended up looking a lot like I did as a kid after eating chocolate pudding.

Easter Eggs -

I know that this wasn't Kalin's first Easter, but it was the first Easter that we could actually do something fun for him. He was only 2 1/2 months old last year so I wasn't really worried about trying to make it a fabulous first Easter. Plus, I wasn't really in a state of mind that would have allowed for that much forethought and planning. So this year I was excited to buy him a special Easter outfit (which my Aunt Nise ended up buying for him - Thank you!!), color some eggs with him, and put together an Easter basket for him. We colored eggs on Good Friday since Kasey had the day off of work and we were going to be busy on Saturday. After a first failed attempt in which my entire bowl of hardboiled eggs fell off the table and broke (two could be salvaged for coloring purposes), making some more eggs and giving Kalin a nap, we finally colored our eggs. I think I enjoy the thought and anticipation of coloring eggs more than the event itself. My creative abilities get tapped out after two eggs and I no longer find it enjoyable. The same thing happens when decorating cookies. Kasey is much better at this stuff than I am. But we had a good time and Kalin even got to join in the fun. I think he liked the brightly colored eggs and tried to eat more than one of them.

Grandpa Stan's B-Day -

We celebrated my Grandpa's birthday on Saturday so we headed out to Watsonville after Kalin's morning nap. Kalin once again got to lick some beaters. This time it was whipped cream. My dad was able to capture a picture of the funny way Kalin walks sometimes. Usually when he does this it's with his hands clasped behind his back but this time he was sticking his hands in his pants. He's such a boy.

Easter -

On Easter Sunday we enjoyed a wonderful Easter Sunday service (earlier than usual) then an Easter Brunch with our soon-to-be church family (we should be officially accepted into their membership next Sunday). We then headed off to my parent's house where Kalin received an Easter basket full of clothes and fun stuff from my mom (it was like Christmas again!) and took a much needed nap. I had to go wake him up after two hours because it was time to head to my other grandparent's house for Easter lunch with my dad's side of the family. We took a short little walk and took some pictures before having a mini-Easter Egg Hunt for Kalin. He didn't really care too much about it. He wanted more to squeeze the eggs, eat the eggs, or bang them together than anything else. We spent the rest of the day back at my parent's house then headed home when it was time for Kalin to get to bed. It was a busier than usual weekend.

And now I have one more day left at home before it's time to head to Hemet for Shannon's wedding!! I have a feeling things might be a little crazy while I'm there. I have no idea how balancing my motherly duties with my bridesmaid duties is going to work. Especially since I won't have a car of my own. Thankfully my mom will be there to help out.

Kalin's first plane ride is coming up on Wednesday!! I'll let you all know how that goes. I'm slightly nervous about the whole check-in thing. I'm always afraid something will go wrong and they won't let us on the plane. I've got his birth certificate though so we should be fine. I also have no idea how he'll actually do on the hour flight but I'm very thankful that it's only an hour. He can't sit in my lap for 2 seconds much less 1 hour but maybe if we get a window seat and can look outside he'll be ok. And he might be a little timid being in this new experience and just want to stay close to me.

Kalin's eating has still been off and on picky. I don't think he really ate much of anything on Saturday or Sunday except some bread and yogurt. Then tonight at dinner he surprises me by eating a banana, several pieces of chicken, and some steamed vegetables. I can't figure him out. He also never really nursed this weekend. He would take a sip and then just bite me (oh the biting!! That's a whole other issue!) And boy was I feeling those effects by this morning!! I was starting to wonder if he was just wasn't interested and if this was the end of our breastfeeding relationship. He nursed twice today though without too much trouble so I don't know what's going on.

The Biting -

He'll just randomly start biting us. Sometimes he's frustrated but most of the time we're just playing or not really doing much at all. He'll come at our knee caps with his mouth open, or while we're holding him he'll bite our shoulders. Kasey did some research today and found some articles. They give several reasons why toddlers bite. It seems the main reason though is an outlet for their feelings. They don't know how to express themselves and how to release the tension that they may develop through their daily activities. He's past the experimental biting phase where, according to the article, it's appropriate to respond loudly with an "Ouch, that hurt" and other such things. But it seems that what the articles are saying is that those reactions now aren't helpful. He needs our undivided attention and willingness to listen to whatever tension or feelings he needs to express. Of course, this will be much easier once he can verbalize it but it gives us a good starting point in dealing with this. Some of the instances of biting that they talk about in this article are exactly what we've experienced. The biting that occurs when we're cuddling. The wiggling or laughing that occurs when I'm trying to let him know that I'm there for him after he's tried biting is apparently a good sign that whatever tension he might have had is starting to get released. It's been enlightening. Kasey and I both noticed that he isn't biting out of anger or biting because he's trying to be mean. It's just kind of random (to us at least) and has taught me to be more aware about what might be going on that he's feeling this need to bite. Maybe my attention is on something else and he's feeling lonely, or maybe he's been overstimulated. This is some of the same stuff I've come across with my research on toddler's hitting themselves too. Lots of things to think about.

And to end this blog on a completely different thought. I've been missing watching him sleep recently. I used to watch him for hours every day and night sleep in my arms. Last night when he feel asleep in the car on our way home, I spent most of the time watching him in my visor mirror - until it got too dark to see him. A couple nights ago, when it was chilly, we opened his bedroom door to let some of the heat from the house into his room, and I snuck in to cover him with his blanket (which he had thrown on the floor). I wanted so badly to stand there and watch him, but he stirred so I had to get out of the room before he woke up. Maybe some day I'll be able to go stand over his crib again and watch him sleep.