Cream of Potato Soup

Evan had his 5 year check-up this morning. It was tough getting us all dressed and out of the house by 8:15, but we managed. And the appointment went well. Evan is 38 pounds (1.5 lb gain since last year) and 42" (2 inches taller than last year). So he's doing okay in the growth department. His vision and hearing and all that are fine, he got three booster shots, and got his papers that clear him to attend kindergarten.

We saw the newest doctor in the practice, and the more I see him the more I like him. We didn't get the annual run-down of everything Evan's not doing, which was a relief. Of course, that's partly because Ev is doing so much better than last year, and partly because I think this doctor knew that I knew where we're at. We did talk about Evan's not-so-varied diet, and he said that as long as Ev's getting lots of fortified things (breads, cereals, juices) and some protein and dairy, we should be fine. So that was nice to hear.

So that's the doctor stuff finished for Evan for another year, unless he gets sick, and that's rare. I'm glad, because I don't think Ev will forget the sting of three booster shots for a few months at least.

Posted by jenny at 1:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I think Grady might need one of these, just so he can spend the summer burninating the countryside.

Posted by jenny at 11:23 AM | Permalink

I hate my breast pump.

Maybe I shouldn't say that. I hate using a breast pump, any breast pump. It's an annoyance, a frustration, and a complete inconvenience. It was great when Grady was tiny, helping to relieve an oversupply, or helping me keep my supply up (and keep G fed) when I was away for a few days. It was even helpful a few months ago when G was in the hospital and wouldn't nurse. But that's just not the case anymore.

Really, it's not even the pump, it's more me. See, I've been trying to pump in the mornings lately to build up my freezer stock. Grady will need milk when I'm at Jerry's wedding in May, and I have to start now to have enough to leave for him. But I pump and pump, and the most I can squeeze out is two puny ounces. It's depressing. My supply is fine, but it has adjusted itself to accomodate G's diet of solid foods, and so there's just not as much milk as there once was. This is great in the day to day, but a real pain when you're trying to stash some extra for later.

On top of this, Grady has just decided to start biting. Hard. That one little snaggletooth really packs a wallop when clamped down in a sensitive area. This has caused some pain over the last day or so, and made me feel a little less than charitable toward my small son. It just hasn't been a good week for breasts--all things boob are bringing me down.

Posted by jenny at 8:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This morning I'm leaving for my "girl's weekend", which is really just me going to Beth's house and staying overnight. And I'm taking Grady. That's the thing when a kid is nursing (and before he drinks other milk) is that sometimes it's actually easier to take him than it is to leave breast milk and pump while I'm gone. Luckily, G is small enough that he can't repeat any of the gossip he hears, and he still enjoys going shopping.

Mike and Evan are having guy time while we're gone, and they are both excited about it. We went out last night to stock up on Man Snacks--pop, chocolate milk, chips, pretzels and dip. They'll hang out and watch hockey and wrestle. Or something like that. I don't know because, as Evan likes to point out, I am a girl.

Posted by jenny at 8:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Last night, I went to bed when Grady did. At 7:30. I really didn't mean to, but I snuggled with him to help him fall asleep, and I fell asleep too. Oops. I still woke up every hour, but it was nice to be in bed for that long. I guess it's not the caffeine waking me so often, it must just be me.

It's very windy today, and it looks like it's going to rain any minute. But the air is warm, and I'm just moments away from opening a window or two. It's spring, time to clean the house and let the fresh air in! And change the banner on the blog!

Posted by jenny at 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today is my second day without caffeine. I made the spur of the moment decision to stop drinking the stuff yesterday, when we ran out of my beloved Coke Zero. I don't think I drank a ton, as I've always been mindful of my intake because G's still boob fed. But still, I always found a nice pop or coffee in the afternoon to be just the right pick-me-up after a long sleepless night. And since my nights are pretty much always sleepless, I looked forward to the caffeine.

But now it's gotten to the point that I am up a lot during the night even when G is not, and I can't seem to struggle through an afternoon without beverage assistance. So I decided that I would go cold turkey for a while, and maybe see if that helps. Yesterday was hell, and I wanted to sleep for most of the afternoon. I did take a fifteen minute snooze on the couch before my swim class, and I managed to make it to bed time. I turned in about 9:30, and though I can't say I wasn't up during the night, I wasn't up for as long, so that was good.

Today is another struggle. I'm feeling tired already, and I fully expect a headache by the afternoon. But by tomorrow I should be golden. I still will probably have some caffeine on weekends, but for now I'm just trying to detox. Maybe it will help a lot, maybe not, but I figured I should at least give it a go. Now, I'm off to drink my water. My very large, very flavorless water. Maybe I'll treat myself to a vitamin water later if I'm feeling crazy.

Posted by jenny at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

It was a busy weekend here, as Jerry and Tammy were in town for his bachelor party and her bridal shower. Both went well, and the two of them headed back to New York yesterday afternoon loaded down with presents and toiletries purchased at northwest PA's discount prices.

Evan really enjoyed spending time with the family, especially my brothers. I think they make him feel like he's "one of the guys" and he likes that a lot. Grady had a bit more difficulty--Saturday was too much running around for him, and not enough sleep. Mike brought the boys to the end of the shower so they could see my aunts and cousins, but Grady pretty much cried the whole time. He was overwhelmed by all of the activity when I think he just wanted to go somewhere quiet and crawl around.

Evan was convinced Jerry and Tammy were going to take him back to New York with them so they could take him to a hockey game. He's been on this kick since the Pens/Rangers game a few weeks ago, and I'm sure he's going to be on fire when those two play again tonight. Evan figured out on his own that the Rangers play in New York, and that's where "his Jerry" lives, so it only makes sense that he go take in a game with his uncle. I'm sure Ev also thinks New York is one giant hockey rink.

It's all hockey all the time here now, and I like it. The Pens are so much fun to watch, and we never miss a game. Evan is loving every minute--he talks about hockey constantly, he lists his favorite players (Crosby and Malkin, of course), he pretends to shoot the puck into the fireplace while he makes a loud horn noise to signal his goal. His greatest wish is to have a black Pens jersey with his last name and the number 1 on the back. We tried to compromise and got him a Sidney Crosby t-shirt, but it's way too big and they don't have any more in stock for us to get a smaller size. I'll look for a different one in Pittsburgh this weekend--keep your fingers crossed because I hear they are hard to come by!

Posted by jenny at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I don't have much to post about, and I can't come up with a good title. So I just thought I'd write something ridiculous that Jerry would understand.

I'm feeling blah again since the weather has cooled off. It's amazing how much that affects my spirits. That little bit of spring was such a tease. I was just chatting with Lisa on the phone, and I think we're both looking forward to the kids not being sick, to good weather and outdoor play dates. Last summer was a blur of breastfeeding and puking and c-section recovery, and I'm anxious to enjoy time with both boys this year.

I'm guessing Grady's going to be walking by the summer, and that's going to be so much fun. He's already moved from cruising on the furniture to pushing his little wheeled walk-behind all over the house. He zips from one end to the other, stopping every now and again to make sure you're watching him. And it's when I'm not watching closely enough that he manages to climb halfway up the stairs or behind the couch--there's just no stopping him lately.

There's no stopping Evan either. Mike was just remarking the other night that it's rare to not understand Ev anymore. He's talking better and just being more conversational, which is a real treat for us. One of his biggest issues is dealing with people when he's not expecting it. For example, if he sees his teacher in Wal-Mart, or one of his classmates at the hospital, he just shuts down. He gets very quiet, he might cry a little, and he won't look at that person at all. But yesterday, he saw one of his classmates at therapy and he didn't freak out. He even went under the chairs where his buddy was hiding to help him out. It was a surprise to me and Ev's therapists, but these things keep happening. He's just getting better and better, and we're really proud of him.

Posted by jenny at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

What a gorgeous day today. The boys and I were outside for most of the afternoon. Evan rode his bike, we drew with chalk on the sidewalk, and then the three of us went for a long walk around town (sans coats). It was just lovely.

Unfortunately, it's not going to last, according to our friendly blogging weatherman. That's okay though, even a little is enough to lift my spirits. Speaking of the aforementioned weatherman, it seems that Evan has singled him out as his favorite on-air personality. Every time he appears on a newscast, Ev stops and yells, "Neudorff!" Bet Brian didn't realize he had such fans out there.

Posted by jenny at 3:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Grady had his 9 month check-up today, and it went okay. He wasn't too thrilled to be there, as I think he was having flashbacks of his visits when he had RSV. He also wasn't thrilled when we had to go up to the big hospital afterwards for a venipuncture to check for anemia and lead poisoning. We do live in an old house/death trap, after all.

As for size, Grady is not quite the butterball he used to be. He weighs 19 pounds, 12 ounces (39th percentile down from 71st). He's also still on the short side, at 27 1/4 inches tall (16th percentile down from 40th). The doctor didn't seem concerned about the down turn, since G's obviously more mobile now and burning more calories. But I was warned that they will watch it, and if he continues to slide further we'll have to take action. I'm not sure what he meant by "action", but whatever.

So that's Grady at 9 months. The morning's activities have made him cranky, so I think the three of us are going to go for a walk.

Posted by jenny at 2:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My favorite part of any weekend is the morning time that we share as a family. Grady and Evan are ready to wake up before their sleepy parents are, so the two of them join us in our bed. We then spend half an hour or more having hugs, laughing, and rolling around, just talking. It's a special way to wake up, and I look forward to it all week.

This morning, Evan put an arm around Grady in bed and said, "Grady, you're my best friend." It was the sweetest thing I'd ever heard, especially from a kid who has had so much trouble making friends and interacting with his peers. I think it surprised both me and Mike to hear Ev say these words too.

It's been obvious to see how much Grady adores Evan. He follows him around, lights up when he enters a room, and gets so excited when the bus brings his brother home from school. But Evan is a little harder to read. Sure, he loves Grady, but it's not that blind devotion--it's more of a tolerance tempered with moments of pleasure. So to hear that he thinks of his brother as more of a friend than an annoyance? That just thrilled me.

I know these two boys are going to have their share of battles over the years. They will scrap, they will fight, they will hate each other and they'll make up and start again. But to see that they will be friends as well as brothers, that makes me a very happy mom indeed.

Posted by jenny at 11:08 AM | Permalink

As of today, Grady's been out in the world as long as he was in my belly. Or close to that, as we all know the "pregnancy is really more like 10 months" deal. But Grady is 9 months old at any rate, which is both exciting and hard to believe. He's just such a busy boy, growing and changing almost daily. Right now he's working on his second tooth, and trying very hard to stand up without holding on, and discovering he can make new sounds like "m" and "b". It's wonderful, but I have to admit I am a little sad that he's growing up so fast.

We spent this past weekend at Mike's parent's house, where Grady had new floors to explore (he wasn't crawling the last time we were there) and Evan was on the go every minute with Papa. Ev called it his "vacation", and it certainly was, as he got to stay up late and have pudding for breakfast and go see waterfalls and animals and go jumping at the mall like six times.

Have you seen these things at the mall, where they strap bungee cords to you and you jump on a trampoline? Evan has seen one before at the Millcreek Mall, and he was fine to watch but did not want to participate. Well, no sooner did I say, "Ev would never do that" to Grandma, then Ev was begging to go jumping. He had a blast, and went back several times. Luckily, we got pictures of him, as high up in the air as the JCPenney's sign, and I'll post those as soon as I get the chance.

So it was an eventful weekend. Mike and I even got to go out to lunch with no kids! But now we're back in the real world, and Ev said this morning that "things are back to normal". Indeed they are, and I've got the laundry to prove it.

Posted by jenny at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)