Archives: June 2008
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We are late as usual, but things have been so busy that I can hardly keep up. You are changing and growing so fast, little man -- happy 12 months all the same!
So the category for this portion of your life has changed, appropriately, from LittleTeo to ToddlingTeo, as you have figured out the walking thing now. After taking a few steps on your own each day since just before your first birthday, last night you really wowed the crowds by walking back and forth from person to person in grandma and grandpa's new living room. What a way to welcome them to their new home!
It is so exciting to me that you can walk, even though it means things are going to get crazy from here on out. Your doctor says that temper tantrums will start soon (we've already had a few), as will some downright stubbornness when it comes to food, sleep schedules, and other things that help keep you human. I can already tell you're a bit... um... strong-willed. So this year should be interesting.
Still, my goodness, you are more and more fun each day. For example, her is some Teo cuteness:
Animals! from odessa on Vimeo.
You are ten times more interactive than just a month or two ago, and I can see your development expand daily. It's so exciting! To date, you can say the following words:
Mama
Car
Bottle (even though you are off the bottle, you call cups bottles sometimes)
Dog (which you say "God" but we know what you mean)
and my personal favorite: Bird!
You also know how to sing along to "Wheels on the bus" -- not the singing part but all the motions. It's so cute and so fun. I actually discovered you had learned them on day care by accident, just singing the song to you one day.
As I type this with my left hand, you are nestled on my right shoulder, having just woken up. We've had a tough couple of day, with your ear infections acting up again. Let's hope this year that happens less.
I love you Buster Brown. I can't wait to watch you grow over the next 12 months.
Read more »Tickle Me Elmo tried to kill me today. In French. I am not sure how my parents got us -- er, um, Mateo -- a French-speaking Elmo, but there you have it.
Our near-death experience was as follows: The Tater and I had finished story time and were making our calm and collected way towards his bedroom when Elmo JUMPED OUT and tripped me. Mateo would have had to leap from my arms, and I would have had to brace myself for the brutal fall, had it not been for my uber strong mama reflexes. I saved us both from a near-fatal Elmo-related injury, and cursed the red-furried freak en route.
Too bad the little dude is like crack to Mateo. OH MY GOD he is fascinated. Did you know that Tickle Me Elmo flops around and spins and stuff?
Ok, so I am a little fascinated too.
Shut up.
Side note: I got off work early today and picked up Mateo a good 20 mins earlier than usual. Oh how I love walking in on him while he is going about his usual day care activities. Today, when I showed up, Teo and his friends were having a roundtable discussion about saltines. Upon seeing me, Mateo adjourned the meeting and quickly stood up from his baby-sized chair, clapping and hollering. I think his friends were a bit annoyed by the gesture, as they just continued jabbering away, but Teo was simply too ecstatic to continue with the day's business. Warmed my little icy heart, I tell you.
Also, this evening we sang "The Wheels on The Bus." The grandparents had bought him a book of it for his first birthday, but this evening was the first real official singing of the song in our household. Amazingly, Mateo filled in the movements as I sang -- clearly movements he had learned at day care -- and I got the first whiff of what it will be like when he comes home from school, ready to show me his new skillz. Wheels on the bus go round, wipers go swish, baby goes wah, parents go shh - each has its defined gesture and Teo was completely up to snuff as to what went where. I was mesmerized. I think we sang that song five times in a row. His teachers have been telling me that he is the most enthusiastic participant during group singing time, but I have now seen the proof. Damn, it's cute.
The cuteness starts here:
It has been both easy and hard adjusting to an entirely new life. There is a lot of change involved. I waver between being really excited about the landscape before me and being completely terrified of the unknown. I suppose, even when not in periods of transition, we vacillate between these two extremes. Maybe it's just more pronounced when going through moments of upheaval.
There are a few things to say about the last week.
First, Mateo is going to see the ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) specialist in a few weeks. I set the appointment today. As of yesterday, his ear infection has cleared but he still has tremendous inflammation and fluid in those pesky ears of his. This is the same scene he has had at the end of each course of antibiotics. He is doing ok, but tugs and pulls at his ears all the same.
We have had two or three days of semi-chronic fussiness. I gave him some Motrin at 8 and he has slept through until now (11:30), which is the longest stretch of sleep he has had in a week. I wish the ENT appointment could be tomorrow. People may say to give him other solutions, try grapeseed oil or fenugreek or God knows what, but he has been chronically sick for six months and I just want him to be better. It's wearing on us both. I spoke to a coworker about tubes and she said with her son it made an immediate difference. The women at his day care said that they noticed a change right away in kids who had gotten them over the years. After talking to two physicians who both recommended this route, I am thinking we are heading down that path. Now I just want it to be over and done with, but helas. We have weeks to wait before our introductory visit, and then probably more time before anything gets done. Motrin will probably be Mateo's best friend, alongside the all-natural ear drops I have been giving him almost daily for months.
People say parenting is hard, but nothing compares to having a sick kid. His smiles are short-lived, and I fight for his laughter. I love to see it, but I know that it will be followed with whines. To his credit, he is not entirely unpleasant. But man... I just can't help but think back to those days after he first got his shots and he was just sunshine 24/7. I know he just has pressure behind his ears (not to mention an upset belly from the antibiotics... we have completely stopped giving him any more antibiotics) and has to complain on occasion. Poor little love.
Meanwhile, I am finding new happiness in my job. It is starting to come around for me, and I am getting my bearings. Yay. I don't want to go into too much detail here, but I appreciate a few things. First, I have some degree of artistic freedom and creativity in unexpected places. Granted, it all involves technical documents and rather dry material, but I can still use my journalism background to agonize over wording and structure. Second, there are a few exciting things coming up and I am thrilled to bits to see what comes of them. I am manging a few different projects and am ashamed to admit that I am a big fan of overseeing. It works well with my psycho-organized self. I know I am learning a TON every day, and that is fabulous. It also helps add excitement to my daily routine. And third, my coworkers are just fan-freakin-tastic and who can't help but love that? This week has been a good week at the office... if it were to continue at this pace, I would not complain.
And so, who knows? The rest of my family is going to be in Portland soon... plans are in the works to invade the city around the end of June. Fred will be out here next weekend, and I have awesomeness lined up for her visit I have even been invited to some social functions (gasp!) down the line and am starting to feel like I can finally put my roots down here. In some ways, I feel like the new girl at school who has finally made some friends. In others, I feel like I am just an adult trying to act like one.
It is so very, very exhausting to float. Maybe Mateo and I can finally just BE for awhile. That would be magnificent.
Also, an aside: two nights ago, Mateo was playing in the pots and pans as usual, while I listened to the most recent news concerning the democratic primary. I listened to Barack's speech and couldn't help but get carried away with his message. At some point, I leaned down to Teo and gave him a big hug, telling hi that he came to America at a very promising time in our country's history. He leaned into me and said, "BAH!" really loudly into my ear, which I take to mean he agrees. I am so excited to see how this election year pans out. Please, God, let us elect the right man to the Oval Office.
