January 10, 1012 ~ Herding Cats

You may have heard someone refer to an impossible task as "herding cats". I bet herding cats is pretty difficult, but probably no where near as difficult as getting a toddler to sit still.

I wanted to get Billy to pose for some Christmas photos (yeah, I know it's the middle of January.) I need to take the tree down, so I had to get the photos in before I did that. It just wasn't on the priority list.

Anyway, I gave him a bath and got him all dressed up in his Christmas outfit so we could take some photos. But trying to get a toddler to sit still long enough for a portrait photo is a lot like herding cats. And trying to get a toddler to smile for a posed photo is well, like herding cats on speed.

The picture I wanted was a nice standing pose of Billy in front of the Christmas tree. Here's what I got:

Forget the cats. Sometimes it's like herding toddlers.

December 10, 2011 ~ More Moo Please!

Today was a very busy day for us.

Last night after Billy went to bed, I broke down the makeshift desk in the den and assembled Daddy's old desk. It looks so much better. Unfortunately, now I can't get the big computer to work, having moved it, so I can't add any photos today. I don't understand how unplugging and replugging in the computer causes mass chaos, but with Daddy's computers, it always does. Never have these issues with my own computers.

Well, anyway, Billy spent the morning exploring the new desk and the increased floor space.

During naptime I went over to Grandma's to pick up her tree to borrow for the season (Grandma was sitting). Daddy was supposed to get us a real tree, but being too busy with work, I opted to make things easier on him and set up the artificial one. While he was sleeping I got the whole tree assembled. When he woke up he explored the bare tree.

After checking out the tree I showed him some other decorations. we have a Hallmark singing Christmas dog. He thought it was intriguing and terrifying. He hid behind me and peeked around to watch it dance. Honestly, those things are a little scary, in a fluffy kind of way.

I also noticed that the heat wasn't working in the house, so I called a repairman that works with my family. We had to hang out in the den where we have a radiator and separate heating unit to be warm, especially since Billy is still technically sick. The main house didn't get too cold thanks to the sunny day, but it was a bit chilly. The repairman came during the time that we were supposed to be at a Christmas party, but it's better to have heat. It turned out to be a small clogged tube causing the problem. All fixed.

Before bed I taught Billy "moo", meaning "milk". He keeps trying to say milk, but it comes out either as "ick" or "kah". So I thought him "moo" and he got it on the first try. Now he knows when he wants milk all he has to do is ask for "moo" and Mommy will get it for him.

He's also getting a canine tooth, so he's a grumpy gus. Occasionally, I hear him whimper in his crib. Those teethies must really hurt.

After he went to bed I decorated the interior of the house for Christmas. Outside will be tomorrow. I'm just glad it's done. He'll get to explore all of the non-breakable ornaments in the morning. I still have to clean up all of the boxes, so I'm off to go put them back in their closet. Until tomorrow!

November 15, 2011 ~ Up On The Rooftop

Today Billy needed lots of Mommy affection in the form of sitting in my lap. When I pulled out his box of blocks, he had me sit in front of them and then plopped into my lap to play with the blocks from there. Every toy I suggested had be be able to hang out with Billy in Mommy's lap. If I got up, he wanted to be picked up.

I decided to break out Elmo's Christmas book. Ok, ok, I know. November belongs to the turkey and the Fat Man has to wait until December. But since Christmas is now everywhere (I work in advertising so we've been working on Christmas since August). It was less about the subject matter and more about the fact that the book sings.

Grandma bought the book for him last Christmas. It has buttons with pictures of Sesame Street characters, and each button plays a different Christmas carol. Very luckily for Mommy, the pages of the book has the lyrics written out. It's not that I don't know a lot of carols by heart, but this book uses some really old carols that I don't know so well.

Well, the Count's song is "Up On The Rooftop". And let me tell you, Billy fell in love with this one particular song. Mommy had to sing it over and over while he swayed like Stevie Wonder- still sitting in my lap. When the song would end he'd push the button to start all over again. He even ripped the binky right out of his mouth so he could try to sing along. (all of the words are yah, yah, yah).

Just wait until reindeer really are up on the rooftop. Imagine what he'll do then!