So, how bad do you think it would be for a toddler to swallow a birth control pill.
Shit.

Well Posion Control assured me that he'll be just fine. He may have a tummy ache, but no other problems.
Who feels like a bad mom today? *hand raised*

Sorry Georgia

We're not going to Georgia.
So, like I said, we aren't very good planners.
Don't invite us along on vacation because you'll probably get mad that we didn't do our share when it comes to planning. Just a warning.
We prefer to plan as we go.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
We sat at the computer (well, Dave sat at the computer I sat in a pile of fabric and pins and sizzors...more to come) for 2 1/2 hrs yesterday while the kids were sleeping and resting.
We decided that we wanted to use FF miles to fly.
Choosing your destination 2 weeks before you travel leaves little to be desired.
We were able to choose from Georgia and South Carolina however the flight wouldn't have gotten us home until after the kids bedtime and we really wanted to have them come pick us up at the airport.
We could have gone to New York or Florida, but like I said Florida is one we want to use later, and if I'm going to NYC I want to plan a little bit.
We could have gone to California, but Dave's been traveling there a lot this year and I didn't want to go to a place he's been to 10 times this year.
Then, Dave said, "We could go to Rhode Island. There is this place called Block Island"
I said, WAIT! I know someone who goes to Block Island!! I think she loves it!
We then got on www.blockisland.com and we were hooked.
We're going to Rhode Island!
I never in a million years thought I'd be going to Rhode Island.
That is what is cool about our tradition, never knowing what state will come up next.
Sorry Hillary! :) Simone, I'm going to email you and get info (like if there is a restaurant you recommend or things to see....)
------------------
I am SUPER excited about a new addition to our store. (sorry, I do that just to keep family and friends from happening to come here while searching for...well, our store)
I can't give away the secret just yet, but lets just say that I am literally up to my eyeballs with fabric, pins, sizzors, patterns etc..... I'm super lucky to have a MIL who used to sew their entire wardrobe. We are collaborating together and we're going to reveal our big secret addition at the expo we're taking part in in 2 weeks.
This is something that won't only be for babies, but preschooler type age.
Wish us luck!!

Lesson #162

Don't try to tell batman that he must take his mask off until he's ready to take his mask off.

It went well.
Miles did his usual 'mmm's' for just about everything. She did get him to say a word though. 'Go'!
It was really 'Gah' but I was soooooo happy!!
So, they did an eval test and she had to stop doing the receptive because he was way more interested in the car and ball to look at the pictures. ;)
He scored 70% (in comparison to his peers) in receptive (although she said she knew it was higher simply from the part of the test he did)
He scored 18% in expressive. I think that the 18% was high actually because what she thought was him imitating or attempting speech I know wasn't. But she didn't know his usual mannerisms, and took it as speech.
With the huge gap from receptive to expressive, she's recommended 1hr/week of therapy.She said that it's 1 of 2 things: Apraxia OR the fact that Miles just doesn't understand that his mouth is made for making sounds.
He's locked lip so often that she thinks that by showing him and encouraging him to open his mouth and make noise that maybe he'll blossom.
She did add though that if option B is the case, to expect articulation delays due to his delay already.
Of course I'm hoping for the second case scenario!
I'm calling our EI tomorrow to see about setting up therapy.

I'm sitting here at my desk which is right outside all 3 bedrooms.
I can hear Miles heavy sleep breathing through his door.
I hear a bit of snoring left over from a cold coming from Logan's room. He hasn't napped in weeks, but he's worn out from a whole day yesterday with Grandpa.
I hear the millions of crickets chirping outside.
I hear the thoughts in my head.

Miles goes for his speech eval this afternoon. In 2 1/2 hrs to be exact.
Of course I'm anxious. I'm not worried really, but anxious to hear what the speech language pathologist has to say.
You know how you find some kind of medical information online and then you seem to run across it over and over until finally it hits you that this could be what you're looking for?
OK, so I have been guilty of making myself believe that I have had really strange illnesses before. I was POSITIVE! (Don't pretend you haven't done this)
So, of course I have come across the same bit of information over and over again while searching online for Miles speech delay symptoms. (Symptoms? Not quite the word....maybe signs?)
It all lead me to go back the last almost 20 months and really evaluate things that have been part of our life with Miles.
Is this normal? Was that normal? Blah blah blah...
So, I'm putting a lot of faith in this woman that we're going to see today.
I hope that she takes the time to really get a good evaluation.
I hope the Miles is able to show what he does on a regular basis, and what he doesn't do.
I hope that what I believe might be the case is wrong, but if it is the case, I hope that we are able to get the help that Miles needs to start talking.

We are reaching a new high when it comes to the frustration Miles is showing because of our lack of understanding him. He is beginning to get MAD.
Picture it:
Lunch time.
The boys are sitting at the table eating. The counter is full of the stuff used to make lunch.
Miles had a pbj, mozzarella cheese, peaches and tomato's (from the garden! YUM) with a bit of ranch dressing for dipping sauce.
LOGAN on the other hand is eating a turkey, tomato, cheese sandwich with cheesy broccoli soup.
I am eating cheesy broccoli soup and a veggie wrap.
LOTS of stuff on the counter.

Miles starts 'mmm'-ing while pointing at the table.
Ranch? more mmm's and pointing.
Peaches? more mmm's and pointing.
Cheese? more mmm's and angrily pointing.
Milk??? ANGRY MAD Miles grabs his plate, throws his food all over and then drops his plate on the floor spilling the rest that was on it ALL over. This begins a meltdown.
I still don't know what he wanted.

I know that it's normal for 2yr olds (ok, this can range from 1-4, can't it?) to have major meltdowns, but his is truly because we can't understand each other. Sign language is good for some things, but the poor kid just wanted more of something.

So, Miles and I are going to head to the therapy center where they will proceed to play with him for 1 hour to get an idea of where he is and where he should be.
Perhaps things aren't as bad as what I think they are.
Perhaps he'll come around soon.

I guess that with parenting comes worry at times, right?

And the winner is:

We're going to go have some peaches! Wait, is it peach season?
OK, so we DID decide on Seattle until we found out just how much MORE air fair would cost.
Georgia was on our list, so we decided to go for it.
I hear that the turtles are hatching right about now. That would be amazing to see.
We're going to go to the Savannah area.
Any suggestions?
I hope there is more to do there than Vermont!

Fashion

Warning: after reading this post you might think I'm mean, rude and stuck up. I swear, I'm not. You'll just have to believe me.
------------------
This weekend we headed to our towns festival. It's a pretty big festival where people come and eat all the sweet corn they can handle. Yum.
While we were wandering the carnival area, I could not believe my eyes.
Now, I must admit, I'm very much a suburban 'mom'. I don't get out that much, and I never see anyone in 'club' clothes.
I see moms at the library, Mc Donald's, the mall...
This weekend, what I witnessed was awful!
OK, I know that it's hard when the celebrity world is telling you to wear something that doesn't go with your body type. But you need to realize that while something might look good on someone else, it might not work for you.
75% of women, especially mothers pushing strollers were literally STUFFED in skin tight 'club' shirts that were obviously meant for teenagers. You could see rolls and jiggles poking out everywhere.
Nothing looked flattering, and even if you were super skinny, it STILL wouldn't have looked good.
I felt like calling Stacy and Clinton to let them know they'd have their pick if they headed to my town.

Speaking of fashion: I know that moms of girls LOVE dressing their little babes. Heck, sometimes (who am I kidding, MANY times) I look at the pink dresses longing for pigtails and toenail polish.
I have to say though, dressing a boys has it's perks. That is so far, I know that someday I'll be the mom saying, "Do you REALLY want to wear that?"
I took Logan school shopping this weekend.
We headed to TCP first, but after trying on jeans and realizing we weren't having any luck, we went to Old Navy.
I was happy that Logan could still fit in 5t, as they were cheaper than the boys sizes!
I got him some super sweet cord's in dark brown and khaki and then 2 awesome jeans that made my little boy look like a little man.
We did wind back at TCP because you can't beat their prices on long sleeved tee's. $6.00 and $8.50. I wound up getting 4 pants and 6 shirts for a total of $100. Sweet!
So, the thing about dressing Logan is, I can dress him the way I think guys should dress! ha!
Now, Logan has never cared much about what he wears. He's never picked out mismatching outfits. In fact, he's never picked out his clothes period.
He's starting to have opinions on shoes however. I blame it all on cable TV. He thinks he NEEDS sketches because "they're awesome".
O...K...I however think he needs a sweet pair of brown shoes to go with his new cords.
Do I let him have his way, or do I surprise him knowing he won't care in a week what shoes he gets?

It's that time of year again: vacation time!
Most people would assume that since our vacation is in one month that we would know where we are planning on going?
Well, most people would be wrong.
Dave and I are not planners. We're fly by the seat of our pants kind of people.
Traveling to a different state each year requires a bit of planning though, unfortunately.

This year we want to relax. A nice warm beach and a fruity drink in my hand is something I've NEVER done in my life.
Florida, you might think?
BUUUT! If we go to Florida this year, we won't be able to bring the kids to Disney in 5 years or so. (We're going without the kids this year)

Georgia? Never been there. Dave thinks there might not be much on the coast line. (I'm guessing he's wrong?)

South Carolina? Possibility

Then someone brought of the idea of Seattle WA because she's heard it's nice there.
It DOES look nice.
If we're headed that way, we've got a friend on acreage in Idaho. We could make it an outdoorsy vacation.
But that sort of erases the idea of 'relaxing'.
However, any vacation without kids is relaxing! :)

This is just too much! Won't it be nice on our 40th anniversary when we have only 10 to choose from! :)

What do you recommend? Anywhere you live or have been that you would want someone else to go there?

What is the world coming to

OK, not the world, but MEN.

I'd like you all to do me a favor. Think back or pay attention now.
When I'm out in public, I usually have a stroller and then Logan is next to me or holding my hand.
Do you know what I have had happen to me COUNTLESS times this summer?
I'm walking RIGHT BEHIND someone (always a man when this happens, as I'd like to think that women watch out for each other? maybe?) and they walk in the door and let it start closing right behind them.
They don't even ATTEMPT to hold the door.
They see me coming RIGHT BEHIND THEM and they just let the door close. They can't hold it for 1 second so I can get there and start pushing the stroller through?
They don't see a mom and her 2 kids and think, hm, I should hold the door.
Nope?
And of course, our mall doesn't have automatic doors (at least the door I go in) so you all who have a stroller know what a pain in the ass it is to maneuver through along with another child. Usually it's LOGAN holding the door while I go through.
And I"m not talking only 18 yr olds. Which has been the case as well, but were talking all the way up to 80.
I'm totally baffled by this.
Where did good manners go?
-------
Yesterday Logan pinched his 2 fingers in the door. After he calmed down and could talk better I asked which fingers were pinched.
In his sweetest little Logan voice he said,
"It's my Ringo and Baby fingers"
That's socked away in that always remember place of my brain.

New Hobby?

Thursday night I had the pleasure of going to Boulder's Climbing Gym for ladies night out. Only three of us came (out of like 13) and I'm sure it's because the idea of climbing is a bit nerve wracking if you've never done it.
The three of us who DID go were newbies. I must say, the new language we had to learn, and the pressure of being the belay for the first time and then actually making it high enough to be a little afraid of coming down was overwhelming...for about 5 minutes.
Then, it was all FUN!
I LOVED it.
So I didn't make it up to the top every time like TKW did (gumby) but I did pretty well, I think.
It was one of those exercises where you are just having fun, but know you're working your body well too.
I could see myself becoming a regular (if it wasn't so expensive)

So on Friday, I told Logan all about.
He wanted to know the words to say.
He practiced them.
He imagined (like he does all day) himself climbing and bouncing down.
Lightbulb went off in my head and I called Dave.
"Logan and I are going ROCK climbing when you get home!"
"YYEESSSSS!!!!" was all I could hear from Logan.

So, we get there and got him all harnessed up and BOY was he excited.
Then he started climbing.
We were there for about 1 1/2 hrs and the highest his feet left the ground was 8 inches I bet.
He preferred 'resting' and hanging there.

I've got some great pictures, but in order to actually LOOK like he was climbing I had to lay on the floor and take it up so that you couldn't see the floor in the picture.
(unfortunately the cord to the camera is not at our house, so I can't show them at this moment)

OK, so maybe my boy isn't going to be a climber, but I definitely caught the climbing bug. (As long as were talking about climbing on a fake wall with 'rocks' placed right where they need to be. And while were at it, as long as I am strapped in with a belay at the bottom)

If you've never gone, you MUST try.

Look!

http://shefindsmom.com/blog/index.php/weblog/baby_find_laugh_out_loud_with_milo_baby/

So cool.

Nothing can beat it!

Having parents that truly love you that is.
So, my birthday was great. Almost.
Dinner was great (Red Robin-Fiesta Pollo Salad-YUM)
My parents AND my brother came.

My parents secretly told the server it was my birthday. (And it was a secret even! I was shocked)
The boys ate my ice cream in about 2 minutes flat.
We came home for cake and ice cream and my parents even brought presents.
Wrapped.
In Christmas wrapping paper.
It was great.
15 minutes later, Dave and my brother left for their last softball game.
I just wanted Dave to WANT to stay home, you know?
Oh well.
I got a kick ass sewing machine to learn to sew on, and a few things from my parents.

I got to hear Logan sing to me and Miles clap for me.
I got to receive a big hug from my dad.
I got to watch my mom read a book to Logan. The same book she read to me growing up.
I really am blessed and when I look at all the blessings I've received in 29 years I am thankful.

THEN, this morning I got to wake up to a feverish child with an ear infection. I got to watch the doctor (walk in clinic) gawk at how Miles doesn't talk. I got to watch her move his chin up and down while she said bye bye hoping that THAT would help him realize he must say the words. Why didn't I think of that?

But, tonight I get to go rock climbing. How awesome is that?

It's OK, isn't it?

I hate my birthday.
I always expect something and always wind up getting disappointed.
Growing up, we went all out. Not with expensive presents or parties...just our family.
We had a birthday banner that got hung over our stairs for EVERY birthday.
We blue up balloons, we baked cakes, we hung streamers. If we went out to dinner we always secretly told the server who's birthday it was so they could get sung to. (OK, after so many, it wasn't a secret, but still...it was still fun.)
We made a party for E.V.E.R.Y. birthday.
Daves family didn't do that, so he's not big on birthday celebrations.
Each year I think he'll learn from the last year.
Each year is the same.
I'm just waiting for the surprise.
I know I'm always in a bad mood on my birthday, and that's something I have to work on.
Today, I took the kids and went out to get ingredients for a cake.
It's MY birthday, and dammit, I want cake.
I called my parents and invited them out to dinner.
It's MY birthday and we're going out to dinner.
It's OK that I make my own plans isn't it? Yes, it's desperate, I know.

2nd opinion

After much thought, I've decided to take Miles to the local voice clinic. What happens is that they do a hearing test automatically. (Which I have no doubt his hearing is fine. He hears whispers) and then they do an exam with a speech language pathologist. After that is done, Miles meets with an ENT to do an oral exam.
I just have a feeling that something isn't right. I've done pretty well with my intuition, so I'm just going with it.
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but Miles just doesn't talk.
He grunts, points, and says 'ma' for much of everything. He communicates TO us usually with mouth closed 'mm's' when he DOES communicate. (I wish I could explain this more)
If we're playing one on one, he doesn't make many noises. If we try to play an imitation game, he'll shake his head no when asked to repeat.
If he's playing alone, he'll babble.
When asked to say something, even something as simple as 'dada' he'll shake his head no.
He understands everything. Everything.

I have my suspicions, of course.
We'll wait and see what they think.
unfortunately they can't see him for almost 2 months.
When your concerned with your child, 2 months is a long time.
Just two little tidbits I found online.
----------------------
From 18 to 24 months:
Children should have a vocabulary of about 20 words by 18 months and 50 or more partial words by the time they turn 2. By age 2, kids should be learning to combine two words, such as "baby crying" or "Daddy big." A 2-year-old should also be able to follow two-step commands (such as "Please pick up the toy and bring me your cup").

----------------------
Between 12 and 24 months, reasons for concern include a child who:
isn't using gestures, such as pointing or waving bye-bye by 12 months
prefers gestures over vocalizations to communicate by 18 months
has trouble imitating sounds by 18 months
-----------------------

We've got the last 2 on that list.
Now, I know some kids talk late. I know boys many times talk later than girls. I know that your cousins baby didn't talk until 3 and now is fine.
The thing is, I've been waiting for months now to see much progress. Since the EI appt, I haven't seen the progress we should have seen.
I read that at this age children can learn up to 12 words a DAY.
It's like Miles understand. He knows what the words ARE, he just can't get his mouth to say them.


Guess who wants to run away from her birthday tomorrow?
The big 29.
365 days until my 30's.
My children seem to think temper tantrums work, maybe if I make a BIG one I can go back to 28?

Velcro wall anyone?

With temps pushing 100 and humidity well past, this week has been hell. Or at least I can only imagine that might be what hell feels like.
It's literally been too hot to take the kids outside for any length of time.
Even going for a ride in the car brings about flushed faces and sweaty backs.
It has been one indoor activity after another trying to keep occupied.

We had a playdate scheduled for yesterday morning with a great friend that I have yet to see much this summer. It was canceled last minute due to unexpected family visiting her.
Logan was bummed.
We later had another playdate canceled due to the fact that this woman was up to her elbows in paint.(painting her kitchen) We rescheduled, but that still didn't make Logan feel any better.

We were looking forward to a play date with her and her. Her #1 had to cancel because of a puking kid. Nice. Way to puke on our week from hell. Her #2 had to cancel because some talk of impending vacation and nothing packed and men coming to install wood. Whatever.

Luckily for us, playgroup was today. Seeing I hadn't made it in, oh, about a month or more now I figured it was time to go.
It was fun, sure, but the best part was when my neighbor asked if Logan could come over after playgroup to eat lunch and play ALLLL afternoon until Miles and her 17mo old boy woke up from their 3 hr nap.
HEAVEN.
I'm home right now doing NOTHING when I should be cleaning.
Miles is sound asleep, Logan is out of the house.
I think I'm going to have my 2nd diet mt. dew of the day! Ha!

Isn't it sad what excites me?

Should I get up and do some housework? Yeah, I know. But for now I'm enjoying hearing only the 'click click click' of the keyboard!

18 months

Ok, I know that Miles is 19 months (in 2 days) but we got his 18 month pictures back today.
I had to put them side by side with Logan's 18 month. (It will get bigger if you click it)
It's pretty funny to see the similarities and the differences.
Take the mouths for example...WAY different. The nose and eyes are a bit the same. Logan head was still very baby-ish. His face started getting longer after he turned 2. Miles head is already longer.
Miles looks older than Logan did, doesn't he? Logan was WAAAY taller, but in these pictures I would guess Miles was the bigger of the two. See Miles 'joker' smile. I always joke that he's got a joker grin when he's being naughty.
Aren't they C-U-T-E?!?