Random

One night last week, we had Ravioli for dinner...which Nathan USED to like, but now he doesn't (he has become SO picky). How do we know this...well by the fake gagging/puking noise he would make whenever he put a bite of Ravioli in his mouth. Yes, folks it was like he was a Valley Girl in the 80's and seriously ACTED like the food made him gag. Gag me with a spoon!
--------

After we let him get down from the Ravioli dinner, he started whining for some "Green Eggs and Ham". Yes, I know most kids will request this in their lifetime...but will most kids have a complete meltdown if green eggs and ham just aren't available at 8pm? Only mine, I am sure of it ;) He settled for "yellow green eggs, and mommy needed to get some ham at the store". However, I am also very aware the the moment I really do make him green eggs, it will be expected every time he has eggs...until he is 16. So...I am very leery to go down that road...;)

------

Also...poor little Lightening McQueen has completely been abandoned for another. Thomas the Train and all his little train friends have completely moved in and the poor Cars Crew has been almost forgotten.

-----

Probably 4-5 times a day, Nathan will ask "What are we going to do next week, Mommy?" to which that should be translated to "What do you have planned TODAY, Mommy." "Next week" is Nathan-ese for "right now", "later", and "we are going to go to the park or a jungle gym, right mommy?" ;)

Play in Snow?

A couple of weeks ago, Nathan started asking if we could go out and "play in the snow". I am not sure where he saw or got the idea of playing in the snow, but it is a daily request these days. Much to his delight, it "snowed" a week or so ago...and when I say "snowed", I mean "ice flaked" for about 20 minutes (just long enough to go out and SEE the white stuff). Regardless, Nathan was so excited to play in the "snow"!

(Nathan and Grand-Mom Gerwing)

("This is it?")

Anyway, his interest in snow made Jonathon and I yearn to take a trip to Utah so Nathan could play in some REAL snow, with some REAL snow toys and REAL snow boys...the Frentheway Crew. Alas, with a new baby...we aren't sure that is real feasible this year.

Also...his interest in snow means that it wont snow at all here in Louisville this year. ;)

Bed Update

I have gotten a few inquiries as to how Nathan was/is dealing with his new bed situation...

Well, he actually has been GREAT! He is still taking his naps, still going to bed without any trouble. Nothing has changed actually, except he can can get in and out of his bed on his own. Now this afternoon we had some issues...we had gone to All About Kids to run around and play. We were there for almost 2.5 hours, and Nathan was SOOO tired (you try running, climbing and jumping for 2 hours!!!), so he was super fussy, crying and just D.O.N.E. We came home and he wanted to go to bed, so I put him down. I heard him rumbling around for a good 15 minutes after I left the room, which I figured was him just winding down from all of the action earlier. He finally fell asleep...and about an hour later he woke up crying. Now he hasn't done that in a long long time, so I knew something was up. I went up there, and he was lying by the door. SO...I don't know if he had gotten out of bed and was playing in his room, and then fell asleep...woke up and didn't know where he was. OR, he fell asleep in his bed, and walked to the door when he started crying. I don't know (I need to put a video camera in there!). Regardless, I put him down again, and he fell back asleep for about 30 minutes when I heard a big THUD. He obviously had fallen out of bed while sleeping. Odd thing is is that he didn't cry, he didn't say a word...he just got up, and continued to play for a good 45 minutes until I went and got him. Not sure if this is the start of a trend...or if it was just a fluke of him falling out of bed.

Also, an odd thing...Nathan doesn't get out of bed and try and open the door by himself. He CAN open the door, I know this, he does it all the time when we are getting ready in the mornings. But for nap time and bedtime, if he wakes up, or isn't quite tired yet, he will just play (I assume in his bed) until someone comes and gets him. I am not, at all, complaining...I just find it one of his personality traits. He isn't presumptuous...or its as if he doesn't know he is "allowed" to do that on his own. He did this when he started to crawl. He would only crawl in one room, and it took him a while to venture into other rooms...again, as if he didn't think he was "allowed" the freedom to do that. I find it interesting (and no, we have not TAUGHT him this...we don't beat the kid into staying in one place! We don't even say anything about it.:)).

SO yeah, that's the scoop.

Growing Up

Perhaps you may have heard...we are having another baby boy in January. (hehe) Anyways, so now that we are about 10-12 weeks away, I figure it is time to start thinking about where we are going to put the Little Guy, what he is going to wear, and the life changing ramifications that a new Little Guy is going to have on Nathan, our current Little Guy. I know, I know...why start thinking now? I mean, we have waited THIS long to finally realize/accept that another one is on its way (hehe...of course I am only kidding...sort of). SO...questions:

Q:Do you rush to potty train Nathan so that you don't have two kids in diapers?
A: I have decided not to (much to the dismay of many, I am sure). I have heard horror stories about people trying to rush their oldest into potty training, only to have set back after set back once the baby got home. Also, Nathan honestly shows ZERO signs of even caring about going potty in the potty. He is perfectly content with running around with a diaper full of poop all day. We have asked if he wants to go potty in the bathroom...and he said yes, once, then after that he could care less. I think his interest the first time was more to climb up on the step stool. ALSO...I honestly don't care if I have two kids in diapers. Nathan doesn't use that many diapers anymore as it is...and quite honestly, the thought of getting to Target/Mall/Grocery/just buckled into the car seat and hearing the words "Mommy, I have to go potty" just makes me tired and frightened. ;)

Q: Where is the baby going to sleep?
A: Uhhh....good question! Our house has 4 bedrooms. Two upstairs, and two downstairs. Currently the master bedroom and Nathan's bedroom are upstairs. The office and Beth/Fred/Guest bedroom are downstairs. I really do not feel comfortable with moving Nathan downstairs, and him being downstairs all alone. He is ONLY 2...I just don't like that idea. We initially decided to move the crib into our room (there is room), and get Nathan a "big boy" twin bed. The baby will most likely sleep in our room the first 6 weeks anyways (at least), so there isn't a real NEED to change everything up RIGHT NOW. After that, we have a couple of options: we all live and sleep upstairs...us sharing the Master bedroom, WE move downstairs and the boys have upstairs, we move Nathan downstairs (and I don't sleep ever again worrying about him), or we move. I happen to be partial to the last option ;)

The fear, right, now, is Nathan...I don't want to push him out of his room and bed when the baby gets here. So we need to start the "transition" now, so that he is used to it by the time the Little Guy gets here. That way it isn't such a HUGE shock for him (it will be, I am totally aware of that). SO, yesterday I decided to turn the crib into a toddler bed, just to see how he would do.

Again, I had heard horror stories about making the switch to a single/twin bed (even the toddler bed) and the child no longer wanting to take naps, or getting up at all hours of the night. Well, I need my sleep people, and I NEED those naps. Nathan is SUCH a good nap taker, and SO good at going to bed at night...I was hoping it wouldn't change with a new bed.

Yesterday the transition was made, and HE LOVED IT! He was so visibly excited about being able to get in and out of his bed by himself. He would run in his room, jump in his bed, pretend to go to sleep and then jump out. He wanted ALL of his toys in his bed with him, he went and got books to read in bed. He just loved it...oh and he now insists on a pillow. It was fantastic! Nap time rolled around and he went right to sleep (maybe played a little...but didn't get out of bed, an DID go to sleep). Bedtime came and he was still super excited to sleep in his "new bed". He slept all night...well, I take that back, I did hear him rumbling around a little. He DID turn on a little rabbit Easter Bunny toy that makes noise a couple of times...at 2:30am, but he never tried to open the door, nor did he call for Mommy. I would say the transition is a success thus far. Although I haven't gone to get him this morning, for all I know, his room could be in total shambles and he was up all night playing ;)

Q: Have you thought of a name for the new Little Guy?
A: No. We don't agree on anything. Nathaniel was the only name that we agreed upon...and, we took it. So Little Guy it will be.

Q: Can we stop reading now?
A: Yes.