Blue Hippo Leads the Way

Mathias can walk with the assistance of a couch or table or anything wide enough for him to grab onto as a railing. Currently, he's using one of the presents he received from my cousin as the latest walking tool. It actually allows him to take his own strides without the restriction of a walker. Made by Fisher-Price and in the shape of a cute blue hippo, the handles can actually lower down into a seat for him to ride on when he's older. However, I will say that if he's in a hurry or trying to get away from you as quickly as possible, he'll scoot down and start crawling. The kid's smart...he knows that if he needs to get somewhere fast, he'll resort to crawling over attempted walking any day.

Climbing Mt. Fireplace

Almost 13 months old and Mathias has managed to climb on just about anything his body will allow him to reach...including myself (I must be his favorite jungle gym). Recently, the lower mantle of our fireplace seems to be the hot spot (no pun intended) for our mini-climber. I remember just a few months ago when he would try to pull himself up on the lower ledge, but could never quite reach the top. It was hilarious because I would just watch him and say, "Sorry, honey, but you're not allowed up there so nice try." Now the little guy is able to just stand up and hoist himself over. I scold him everytime he tries to get up there, but this time - I allowed him to climb. I watched Mathias lift his long legs over the mantle and then back down again. He did this at least four or five times until the excitement wore off. Then he'd lower himself down and stood facing me. I knew exactly what he was thinking. I was the mother of all mountains and now he was ready to try and climb me. That's when I saw him crawling my way... Aah!

Raw Pasta Sauce

Not having had anything to eat yet due to my job as nightly entertainer for two dogs and a baby, I finally felt hungry. Rummaging through my pantry; I realize that I desperately need to go grocery shopping this weekend. I could just reheat the BBQ leftovers in the fridge that I made the other night, however, I just wasn't feeling that particular meal again. I also didn't make dinner tonight because Jay went straight to his weekly softball game and Mathias just ended up eating turkey with pureed carrots before heading to bed. So basically, I was left with minimal meal options.

The house was quiet and I was still hungry. Standing alone in front of a partially empty cupboard - except for the large quantities of canned veggies, baby food, cereal, pasta, dog biscuits & Jay's ginormous tubs of protein powder - I was pretty much SOL. Then my eyes darted back to the small bag of pasta. Aah, pasta. My diet permits me to eat too many carbs, especially at night, but man do I love 'em. Noticing the bag was slightly small and most of the pasta already gone, I tell myself that a little bit of carbs isn't so bad. Plus, I'm notorious for whipping something tasty out of nothing. Jay and I did that all the time when we lived in an apartment. One learns to improvise and make best out of what they have.

With pasta in hand, I decide to make a simple sauce. It was soooo good. This will be a once-a-week dinner for sure. I just chopped up tomatoes, basil and garlic (better with a food processor, I'm sure) then added salt, pepper, a dash of sugar and a splash of olive oil...alright, I also added a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat. Top it all off with a sprinkle of Parmesan and voila. Perfect summer meal with a hearty green salad. I was so content with the meal that I took a picture of it. Simple, yet light and delicious.

Now I'm craving something sweet...

Teething Bites

Yes, pun intended. Our little booger has another tooth poking through. I was able to get a quick photo of it during his little crying session since the original post on his first tooth lacked pictures. It's the best I could do...I felt too bad!

Usually, Mathias gets a little fussy before bedtime, but tonight was awful! I even tried giving him a bath right before I placed him in bed so he could calm down a bit, but to no avail. He must really not like the feeling of his second tooth coming in because normally Mathias looooves bath time. Not tonight! I think it was the combination of teething, sleepiness from a long day out, and the shots he received yesterday from his 12 month check-up. My baby was sore and restless. Poor little guy. I did my best to give him a wee bit of baby Tylenol, his teething toy and lots of TLC. It must have worked because eventually, Mathias was sound asleep in his crib.

My Son Is A Screamer

Our boy has this loud-pitched scream that is sometimes really annoying. I look at him and go, "Why? Why must you insist on shouting this piercing cry?" Then, as if he understands me, he laughs this fake little laugh that comes from the depths of his belly like an old man chuckling...then, he screams again. You can only imagine the startling looks I get from strangers when we're sitting in a restaurant. "Hi, there! Yes, that's my kid you just heard. Please, continue eating. " I almost have to bite my lip from trying not to laugh every time he does it in a public setting, but then realize that any attempt in hushing my child is pretty futile. Normally, folks are pretty polite and understanding - they know that kids will do these things from time to time. I usually get a few who'll laugh at the free entertainment they get while dining. Thank goodness for those people!

(Mathias' fascination with beads in our guest bedroom.)

"Datt-in"

What does datt-in mean? Apparently to our son, it means everything. He calls almost any object datt-in...which can sometimes be confused with "duk-uh"= doggy. Oh, and "maa-ma" quickly got replaced with "naa-na", which could either mean night-night (something I say whenever it's time for his nap) or mama. I'm thinking it's a little of both because Mathias tends to hold up his arms to me whenever he says it...something he does either when he's tired or just wants me to hold him. Who knows...just when I think I get it, he changes it up. Still trying to learn the ever-growing vocabulary from this little person.

(The video clip shows Mathias briefly using his new word in reference to a clock in our office...........and then slightly bonking his head. He takes after his Mom.)

My Little Burrito

Something about babies and soft blankets - they love the touch and feel of gentle fabric or soft material. At first I thought it was just our son. Then I've talked to other mothers who also recall their little ones obsessing over cushy blankets. My kid happens to like the soft mink-like material ones (I'm really not sure what kind of material these are made up of, but I'll look at the tags next time I remember). We actually have several of these kinds that are only used for Mathias' crib. The latest and greatest that Mathias likes wrapping himself up in is currently the blanket that sits over our couch. It's actually a chenille throw that my sister bought us for Christmas. Anyway, the origin and definition pertains nothing to the feel & texture that the throw has for our little man. If he can roll around in it and rub his soft face all over it, then really...that's all that matters.

Gradually rolling around from one end of the room to the next...

Little Man Turns One!

Oh, what a joyous day Saturday was! Mathias Patrick turned one! Many of our friends and fam stopped by to celebrate this special occasion with us. I am forever grateful for all of those near and dear to us who were able to share in our little man's first birthday. My only regret was the absence of the coolest Grandpa ever. "Dad, we miss you! Please be safe in your job overseas."

The day was somewhat chaotic to say the least, however, what function in our household isn't? :) The morning began with cleaning the house, bathing Mathias before his first nap, prepping of food, setting up decorations and then getting ready ourselves. A smooth preparation thanks to the help of my mom, sister, aunt and Jay's mom & sister.

All together we pulled off quite an eventful day filled with wholesome BBQ, goodies, sweets, balloons, gifts and even a pinata. Yes, a pinata in the shape of Mathias' favorite cartoon character, Diego, the Animal Rescuer. This was the American theme of the party and everything (even his cake) was Diego inspired. I would have to say, though, that the most anticipated part of the entire day was the traditional Tol celebration that my mother helped me plan for since the moment Mathias was born (see the Tol Celebration blog in April). I am so thankful that my son actually sat in place during that whole time without any fussing or crying. He was such a good boy! Surprisingly, the over stimulation of so many new faces and the constant flashing of cameras actually kept him entertained and well-behaved. *Thank you, Lord! Whew!* It wasn't until Mathias had to participate in the Toljabee event that the excitement finally began. Little man's future was "predicted" by the marker he grabbed first. Then the second thing he picked up was another related item. The "future" was made clear. "If the child chooses a book, pencil, or related items - the child will become a successful scholar." Go, Mathias! (OK, so secretly, I was rooting for the kid to grab the money.)


PS - Also, a very special birthday wish goes to his cousins Annabelle & Lilia...twin girls that share the same birthday as our little man. We look forward to many more birthdays to come...

I Found My New Niche

Landscaping. Yep, my new (2nd) love is working on my garden. When Jason and I bought our home last summer - right before Mathias was born - we had hired a landscaper to come out and create a xeriscape foundation for us.

According to Wikipedia's definition:

"Xeriscaping refers to landscaping in ways that do not require supplemental irrigation. It is promoted in areas that do not have easily accessible supplies of fresh water, and is catching on in other areas as climate patterns shift."

This type of landscaping is very popular and cost-efficent in Colorado. Wanting to use less water and focusing on having a bigger lawn in our backyard; Jay and I went along with the xeriscape idea for the front. Landscaping stones were used in place of grass and mulch was added in the center of our yard as well in front of the porch. However, the guys that landscaped our front yard didn't do such an appealing job. At least not to my standards. I wanted some more greenery and lush plants. The yard looked too industrial and naked. So I recruited the help of my sister and together we added some nice colorful perennials that would eventually bloom into good-size bushes and flowers. My favorite of all the plants are the lavender bushes. They smell intoxicating and, once fully grown, will be a sweet addition to our yard.

Sneaking Into the Bathroom

Mommy: OK, Mathias. Stay out out of the bathroom!
Mathias: Aaaaah! Da-da-da-da!

So Mickey's nursery is right next to the guest bath. He knows this. He knows this very well. The little booger tries to crawl to the bathroom every chance he gets simply because he knows bath time (his favorite part of the day) is affiliated with this room. So yesterday - like every day - I lift Mathias up from his crib after napping and lay him on the floor to change his diaper. This, in itself, can be a challenging feat. The bigger Mathias gets, the tougher he is to hold still. We are constantly fighting each other just to get a clean diaper on. He struggles with me almost all the time because all the little man wants to do is roll over and crawl away on another exploration. All I want to do is get his doggone diaper on. It can be frustrating sometimes.

Anyway - after the regularly scheduled wrestling match, Mommy vs. Son, was over - I decided to let Mathias crawl away again...into the "unknown". Little did he know I was following him all the way.

Dance It Up!

My son...the dancer...the booty-shaker...the hip gyrator. :) He has shaken his little hips back & forth ever since he was a tiny little fellow. Now he's back at it again, except this time...he almost looks like he's going to hurt himself. Mathias is really, really trying to bring sexy back. *heheh*

Sweet Nani

Jay's lovely grandmother, "Nani", is one of the sweetest people I know. She lives in Massachusetts where Jay's hometown is and I've only been able to visit with her once. We email each other as much as possible, but I'd love to make a trip out there again just to see her and the rest of Jay's fam.

Just recently, Nani had mailed us a huge box from the east coast that was addressed to the soon-to-be birthday boy himself - Mathias! My mom and I had come home from shopping when I received the package on my doorstep. Inside were several blue boxes of the cutest 24 month-old clothes I have ever seen. I know she truly cares about her great-grandson because she has given him more clothes and hats than anyone I know (besides my mother) since he was a newborn. Anyway, here are a few outfits that our lucky little boy will be sporting this summer.


***Thanks, Nani, Grandpa Mario, Sarah, Brian & Lexi for everything...Mathias is truly blessed to have such caring relatives.***

Mathias' First Tooth!

Hooray! My son the soon-to-be one year old (I love saying that) has finally blessed us with the presence of his very first little tooth...it's just poking out almost jagged like at the bottom left of his mouth. The neighbor tooth right next to it will surely protrude any day now also. I can just see it trying to break through (ouch). All I can say is...hooray! Alright, so I said that twice...and dang it, I'll say it again. HOORAY! It's so nice to finally see the reward after all the hoopla, crying and fussing that teething brings. I thought my son would never have teeth! I almost began to imagine that my son would be the only kid in school without any teeth yet. Dramatic? Yes...but anyone who knows me knows that I've been waiting for an eternity for those little white chompers to come out. All his cousins & fellow baby friends have sprouted teeth - some more than four or five already! I've been told not to rush things and let his growing come naturally, but I'm prone to being quite impatient. "Where are my son's teeth? Why is my son - as big as he is - the only one who has a toothless gummy grin?" Alas, the presence of what almost looks like a tiny piece of rice stuck in his mouth, (yes, we eat a lot of rice and nooooo, it's not a piece of rice) was welcomed to the delight of his mommy, daddy, grandma and niece. Everyone thinks this itty-bitty tooth is the most amazing thing right now. The long-awaited arrival just makes it that much more endearing. I love mommyhood!!!

Long Hair vs.Short

***First and foremost, I want to apologize for the lapse in updating our blog. Life has been pretty busy for us all since the last post...that and I (Lisa) broke our digital camera right around Mother's Day. Oopsy! Now that I think about it...this is the second camera I've broken that was still fairly new. What can I say...I'm a klutz. Coincidentally, both times the camera broke, alcohol was involved. Double-oopsy! Fortunately, I just purchased a nice new Kodak EasyShare camera today so all is well again in the world of blogging. Here's to going on camera #3!***

Now, on to my current dilemma I face this week - should I proceed with getting Mathias his first professional haircut or do I let him grow it out until he's older? Mathias is going to be one this Saturday and has already received three haircuts at home when he was younger (I know what you all are thinking...how much friggin hair can a baby have?).

The first "haircut" was done by me when Mathias was only one month old. Yes, one month. I had to...the poor little guy had such long hair that it kept tickling his ears so he would constantly pull at it and then make himself cry. It was awful to watch everytime he did it. Mind you - I was a new mommy. Plus we all know how newborns at that age clench their little fingers so tightly around anything they can grasp. In this case, for my son, it was his own hair. Not only that, but the long hair around his neck and ears created a slight rash from the heat and irritation. I figured I was doing my kid a favor by keeping him cool in the hot summer weather that we had to endure (we didn't have air conditioning yet at that time). I finally decided at that point that I would take Daddy's hair trimmer & scissors and start a wackin'. It wasn't pretty...the hairstyle that is. Mathias was fine - he slept the whole time I was trimming away. The final look? Pretty darn cute from the front and pretty darn BAD from the side view. What can I say, it's hard trying to cut a newborn's hair. They're so fragile to begin with and I didn't want to hurt or disturb the little guy while he slept. My gentleness and lack of haircutting skills really gave my kid the buzzed/high & tight/jarhead/crewcut look I was sooooo not going for, but hey...he was still pretty darn CUTE! My sister referred to him as "The Monk". hahaha

At the green age of just 9 months, the second haircut was done by my lovely mother. Urgh - I was so upset! LOL She had the audacity to take it upon herself to go ahead and "trim" the front part of my son's hair. I came home from work one day and saw what appeared to be very short bangs on my kid's head. Not cool. My mother's reason for cutting his hair, "Iz touching his eyes!" I know, Mommmmm, but really, did you have to trim it yourself? From the front, my son had the bowl haircut that was only popular in the 60's. From the side, it looked like my kid had a mullet! I was devasted (and a wee-bit dramatic, can you tell?). Aah, well, my mom's intentions were good so I tried not to show that I was upset. Instead, I was optimistic and just decided he needed a proper haircut. Two women already jacked up since birth so now it was time to fix it!

 

Now here we are, two months later. Mathias is going to be one in just a few days and now his hair is longer than ever. I know my mom and I love the long haired look on little boys. There's something carefree about boys with longer hair. I just don't want anyone to mistake my son for a girl. There's something cute about a boy with getting his hair cut too. The shorter hair gives them the clean-cut look which is also endearing...but it also makes them look older. So currently my dilemma is this: should I let my son grow out his hair or do we need to take a trip to the barber? Any suggestions are welcome!