pumpkins! water! leaves!

We made it to the pumpkin patch! It was a long morning, Brendon is still sleeping almost about 2 1/2 hours after we got home. He slept about 45 minutes in the car, too. Poor guy, he was wiped out, but he took it like a champ. He even ate well afterward!

He really liked touching the pumpkins. The other kids were off playing, and he just wanted to roll them, and bite them, and kick them, and sit on them. Basically, anything pumpkin. I think it might be from not being allowed to play with our neighbor's pumpkin. Ha!

Oh yeah, he found one he could carry, and I thought I'd get a picture of it. But he discovered a new game. It's called "pick up and throw the pumpkin." He managed to do it several times before being distracted. Thankfully, none of them broke! Ha!

So, the maze, sorry it's sideways, but you can see it better on my facebook page. Plus, it's black & white!

At one point, I think he thought the ridges were steps, so he attempted to "go down" them like he does the steps. What? He just learned that skill, and eager to try it out!

I claim this pumpkin! This is my pumpkin! Nobody touch this pumpkin!

 So, I took the fact that he loves picking up leaves to get him to hold one of each color. It made for a good picture, no? :D

Oh, this is cute. He kept squatting and looking under the van, just like his daddy does. He'd get up, and take a few steps closer and squat again. Adorable!

Once again, he realized that splashing in the water was fun! and exciting! and wet! Just forget that the water's temp was cold enough to make my feet tingle, I can only imagine what his feet felt like!

So, there you have it. We enjoyed fall, and looking forward to winter! We're planning on going to Mississippi after Christmas, to see Mark's side of the family. I'll let you know how that goes . . . I'm a little apprehensive.

photo hunt: Miniature

Brendon is a typical boy. He loves sticks and balls. Not sure where he got this mini beach ball, but he still loves it.

How I waste my time

0706: Mark texted me to make sure I was going to the hospital for a class. I replied yes and tried to go back to sleep for 7 more minutes.
0708: started my daily facebook, email, reader routine to see if the world is still out there.
0715: my alarm goes off and I turn it off
0725: realize I will be late if I don't get up now. Grab some clothes, brush my hair, pack Brendon breakfast, clothes, and diapers in his bag.
0730: wake Brendon up, take him, his blanket and his bear downstairs.
0732: put my shoes on and realize that the keys are locked in the van

So I waited about 10 minutes for Mark to return my call and come unlock the van for me

0750: I loaded us up in the van, then realized I left my phone on the couch, so I spent 2 more minutes unlocking the door, grabbing it, relocking the door and getting back in the van

I dropped Brendon off (in the opposite direction from my destination) about the time I should have been at the hospital, 15 minutes late.

Parked in the employee parking area, like I should have, but had to walk through the new orthopaedic (yes, that's how they spell it) hospital to get to clock in, the width (short side) of the hospital to find the conference room I thought it was on. Then I walked upstairs (ok, took the elevator) to the third floor to see if anyone up there knew. They did, and said it was on second floor (in the orthopaedic hospital). So I arrived there about 20 minutes late to a 30 minute training. Sad, right? I stayed til about 0850 to catch up.

Then I went down stairs and walked the length (long side) of the hospital to Occupational Health to see about this stupid accident at work only to find out that they were closed and doing flu shots. Where were they doing flu shots?! Where I first looked for the class-on the other side of the hospital AGAIN! So I walked back past the people waiting and sitting and coughing. I decided, as I was walking, that I'll get my flu shot because I was there anyways. You know what they told me? That Occ Health WAS open for emergencies and would be open for me. So I got my arm shot and punched and the bone bruised (short needle, my foot!) before my long trek BACK across the hospital. BACK past the people coughing and sitting and waiting. BACK to Occ Health.

0910: I knocked on the door and the lady told me they're closed. "But I had an accident at work that I need to talk to you about. It happened Sunday, and I called Monday, but I never heard back from you." She definitely gave me the stink eye, but let me in. Then she proceeded to tell me "I was here all day yesterday and no one called. I tried to call you but you didn't answer." After one go-round of "I did call, I called around 1245 [I have the call on my phone!!] but I never got a call from you" and "Well I was here and no on called, and you didn't answer." I just gave up and decided to be the better man and apologize for not returning her call...

Besides, I knew the patient's tests were negative anyways, so I didn't need to do anything else.

Then she tried to make sure my tetanus shot was up to-date, and make sure I had my Hepatitis B series. Hep B was a no-brainer, but wasn't sure about the tetanus, so I needed that one. It took her about 10 minutes to not-find my tetanus history (she alphabetized my immunization records like 5 times!). And then she boasted that her shot-ting technique had no rivals.

What am I left with?! TWO sore arms, TWO hours of time spent at the hospital (when it was only supposed to be 1). But now I know that the blue forms go to Occ Health NO MATTER WHAT.

And it's super-hard on the delts to get a intramuscular shot in both of them and have a clingy toddler to carry around because his naps are all wonky and aren't evened out.

If he would just sleep until 8 or later, I think he could make it until 1230. But he won't. Stick an extra hour in there and it sounds like we're having a bloodfest in the house until he gets a nap.

It's Alive! (well, not alive alive, but good alive...)

So, I basically promised a long post yesterday, but I expected Brendon to nap longer. Silly me, why would I expect it. Just because he only took a 60 minute nap at 9, and was up by 10am. Just because he woke up at 730am instead of 8am. I don't know why I would think that.

I've just about perfected my own diaper pattern. Ha, I say perfected like it's amazing. I've tried lots of styles, but I like the small-ness of the front. It's not gathered, so it doesn't really pooch out. I haven't gotten the sewing the velcro down yet. You can see that the one on the end is lacking in the aesthetic department...

The inside is made from a fleece, but it feels more like flannel, so maybe it's micro fleece? Maybe I'm just wrong. Also, the inside inside part is just some scraps, not too terribly absorbent, but it does the job (with an extra insert on top).

And the legs. They might be a little snug, because they leave red marks, but they're getting there. I'm just in a bind because I'm out of the fold-over elastic (red binding) and the PUL (middle water proof layer). Both the rainbow and airplanes were 'extra' fabric from my online order.

OK, so maybe the pattern isn't perfected, but I like the way this one is unfolds/refolds. I think it could potentially be a one-size fits most diaper, but I've made several different pattern sizes. I just have one kid, though, so I can only say that this size has everything in the right spot.

I'm on the prowl for more kid's butts to borrow and dress. So, how about it, can I borrow your kid? I might even let you keep the diaper if you're interested.

10.11.10

Since 10.10.10 was filled with all sorts of icky work things, you'll have to settle for a 10.11.10 post. It would have been cooler if it was 10.11.01, but that's way past. I was still in high school, in Trinidad, probably tormenting my siblings or cramming my nose in a book.
Sunday was Old Fashioned Day at church. I missed it, but I wouldn't have dressed-up anyways. BAM did, kind of. Mark put him in a pair of overalls and a white shirt, kind of farm boyish without looking too hick-ville.
We've made some changes at the abode of McMillen. One that you don't need to know about, one cutting back BAM's naps to 1 a day (still working on that though), and less TV, more family time. I don't like silence, because then my imagination goes haywire with sounds I hear outside, but I've realized that it doesn't have to be on when BAM's awake.

Come later, and I'll have a bigger, longer post!

short and...short

I really wish I could come up with a good blog post for today, but I can't. My head is killing me, and it's making me nauseated (it's been doing that lately, since BAM weaned BOO!). So today will be short.

Brendon's napping (or lack of napping) has me re-thinking this whole big family idea. He goes down beautifully for his morning nap, and will sleep 2 hours. Even if he gets up as late as 830 (but usually it's more like 730), he'll still be ready for a nap about 10, or earlier if I let him. He has not taken an afternon nap for me since Sunday. That's almost 7 days! Can you imagine it, I used to have 4 hours a day all to myself on my off days, but no more! Only letting him sleep for 1 hour isn't helping, either. Wednesday I finally got him to take a nap about 5, because we had church at 7, he had time to be awake before bedtime. I think we might have to cut out the morning nap and go to afternoon nap at 1230 or something. Plus, a later bedtime and earlier wake up time. I can do 9pm and 7am. Or just 8pm and 7am. I cannot do 7pm (or sometimes 6pm) AND 6am. Not good for mommy's happy moods. So, remember us in your thoughts. Whether you have kids who still take long naps or kids who don't need naps at all.
We're transitioning, and it's going to be hard, I'm afraid. But, maybe it won't be. Maybe it'll be like that recipe you got from your Great-Aunt Myrtle that had like 50 steps, but you realized you could just buy the topping, buy the crust, and buy the filling, skip to step 45 AND have it taste the same!

Good night all, and maybe Ms Migraine will take her boyfriend Mr Nausea on a long holiday. Perhaps Never-never land? And they would never want to leave, but they'd think about it, but then realize that it's better where they are because they never-never have to grow up :)

who says gender roles are learned?

As soon as we went out side this morning, Brendon found "his" stick. It's probably about 1 1/2 times his size. He's standing the middle of the grass holding on to it like it's his beloved pacifier and it's nap time. I had to adjust the stick size so he could carry it to the mail box and back. If he dropped it, he tugged on my hand and would not keep going until he picked it back up. He stuck it in the dirt, he dragged it along the chain link fence and laughed at the noise. He held on to that stick, and pitched a fit when it was time to go inside and the stick had to stay outside. He'll get it again tomorrow and pick up like they're long lost friends.

I did not introduce him to sticks. I didn't even show him sticks. If I had my way, he would sit in the middle of the side walk and not touch the dirt or the grass or the sticks or the acorns or the bugs. But he has a mind of his own, and the stick was found. The dirt was poked, and the fingers became dirtied. Why? I have no answer beside this one "he's a boy. boys are attracted to dirt, sticks, water, and bugs." Haven't had to deal with bugs, but he loves animals. He saw a squirrel run across out path and was mesmerized. he followed it around a tree, and even squatted to look under the bushes when it ran away.

He doesn't care about colors, pink or purple or green or blue, if there's milk or juice in it, he will drink it. We're working on water...slowly. Clothes don't bother him, but he likes his feet bare. He's just as likely to grab my pink shirt to throw in his trash can as he is Mark's blue shirt. Most of our toys are gender neutral, minus a few legos and other blocks. He has a tool set and tool bench that plays music, but his favorite are his bear and cat that he sleeps with.

I've caught him walking around with one of my bras and a Wii remote.  But outside, it's a different story. Sticks and dirt and leaves draw him. He does pick flowers, but he sniffs them and tries to put them back. He had dirt all over his fingers and attempted to grab my arm. Being the girl I am, I squealed and he tried harder.

It's true: boys will be boys.

Friday Fails aka what's new on the home front

I totally fail at keeping up with this blog. I'll just skip the silly "memes" and focus on life.
Brendon is growing like a weed. He's walking all over the place. Every once in a while he just totally looses his balance and falls over. He's not even doing anything complicated. He'll lift up his foot to take another step, and instead, he falls over. I laugh to myself, because it'd be wrong to laugh at him, right?

He babbles constantly, but an occasional intelligible word slips through, like "mamama," mainly "mamama." He recognizes the signs for cracker and cookie, and shoes. If you ask him what the snake says, he goes "sssss" and grins. He points all the time, and grunts that he wants it. We're learning words, or at least to acknowledge them.

He really likes using his spoon. Doesn't quite get the intended results, but he tries. He folds his hands when we say it's time to pray, actually interlocks his fingers together.

We're peaking at different apartments and houses for rent or buying, and I really want to move into a house, but I don't think we'll be able to do it for a while. We're close to getting a few loans paid off, mainly the school loans held by the school with insane interest, like 17% or something.

Everyone keeps asking us if we're ready for another kid, but honestly, who is ever "ready" for another 9 months of alien growing, at least 6-maybe more than 24 hours of labor, possibly lots of stitches, weeks of sleepless nights,  the drool, the spit-up, the crying, the poo. I mean, who's really ready!? I thought of those contractions again, and was afraid. I wish I wasn't. But I will do what I can. The point- any one who says they're "ready" to go through newborn stage again is lying. They just want another baby to snuggle.

Yeah, that's about it. Have a great weekend!