Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Should Be Easy Enough

Today, I had an easy two-part plan:
  1. Take adorable photos of the boys for Christmas cards and blog, and
  2. Manage a dual doctor's appointment for both boys with several needles.

Patrick, what do you think? Should be easy enough, right? ... Uh, Patrick?

I mean, look! Here's Elliott the Christmas Elf!



Now, just hold still and say "chee..." Elliott? Elliott, come back here! [dash to the front room]


Patrick, my good boy! Say "cheese..." Patrick! [giggles and drunk runs away from me]



Again, here's the angelic picture in my head perfectly matching reality... as poor Elliott pleads with his brother for cooperation. (Every once in a while, he does try to help me. At least temporarily...)

And see that, you cynic you!? All I have to do is blend in and have them forget I'm there. It's like I'm on safari in my own home, just trying to have someone let me shoot them.



Dr. update:

Shots went as well as could be expected... Elliott said he wanted to go first and "be brave for Patrick," but he looked positively HORRIFIED when the flu shot went in. The look I got was, "I thought we were just pretending!! That actually HURT!!!"

Patrick (at his 18-month-appointment) weighs about a granola bar more than he did at 12 months. He's 25th percentile for weight and 50th for height. Elliott, on the other hand, nearly broke the baby scale -- but I swear I only got him on there with the doctor's permission. He weighs 39 lb., 2 oz. (and the scale tops out at 40!). For those of you marking your growth charts at home, that's 90th percentile.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Practically a Holiday

When I realized today was the first day in a week with NO PUKE (ahhhhhhhh, motherhood), I figured it must be some kind of friggin holiday. And then ... I realized ... IT WAS!

The Big Man turned one-and-a-half today!

Thank you, thank you for celebrating with no more throw up!


P.S. For a cute, no-relation-to-puke update, I'll tell you Patrick is loving his big animal picture book these days. He likes to learn what kinds of animals reside on those board-book pages, but he mostly likes to hear and imitate the sounds they make.
In that great "I'm-only-18-months-but-I'm-pretty-sure-this-is-a-really-funny-joke" kinda way, he's been barking at any and all animals, including the cartoon llama was saw on Diego today. When we react and say, "Hey! THAT's not a doggie!" he launches into fits of giggles.

Friday, November 7, 2008

A Update in Threes

For the last week in October, Pete and I happily joined his parents, sister and brother-in-law on a cruise! (Note to cruise participants: Can someone share photos? I think I took ONE.) Anyway, if you believe me without photographic evidence, we:
  • left from Miami (nearly missing the ship, thankyouverymuch!),
  • stopped at a very windy Key West (walked to the southern most point and sampled some beer),
  • drank,
  • ate,
  • went to Cozumel (all-you-can-drink beach and a great place for dinner, where I still can't believe Milton got us gringos in!),
  • drank,
  • ate,
  • kept our liquor and food down through some rough seas,
  • drank,
  • ate
  • and returned to Miami.

It was wonderful! My approaching-sainthood mother and step-dad (Nonna and PopPop to the boys) stayed with the practically independent Elliott and Patrick. (A hearty handshake and a blog post dedicated to your time ought to make us even, right, Mom? ...Mom?)

We changed our flight to get back in the nick of time for trick-or-treat. Overall, it went well. Erik and Emily tried to help, but Patrick was more content to roll around in our neighbors' yards (not kidding), while Elliott ran (and I mean RAN) from house-to-house, not really caring whether or not someone dispensed candy. It was so hectic, we didn't snap a single photo. (Still drunk from the cruise? Maybe.) In my unwavering dedication, though, I dressed the boys up November 1 and forced them to pose for some commemorative photos.

Sadly, Elliott's been suffering from maybe the most pathetic cold in the history of colds. (By the way, I now know "cold and flu season" takes on a whole new meaning when you have a kid starting school... As in "a whole friggin season of nonstop cold and flu.")


Are you SURE you can't smile?



THERE's a brave soldier!



Meanwhile, Patrick was the palest Diego on the block.


Adorable, no?


Side-by-side comparison. (Patrick is on the right.)


Speaking of Patrick, he took advantage of ridiculously warm (low 70s) weather in early November.


Heeeeeeeeyyyyyy, wait a second! This thing makes noise!


That is one proud and entertained one-and-a-half-year-old!

Elliott, still not feeling great, tried to make the most of the front yard leaf situation.


Well, maybe a LITTLE roll around would make me feel better...


Yeah, life is pret-ty good... [cough, cough]


Hey! I've got an idea! Let's see what happens with one tricycle and two boys!


Woopsie! A little off track... (Who sees this going downhill FAST?)


There, there, Patrick. Elliott's just going to sneak in behind you and sit exactly where you were sitting just seconds ago. We're cool, right? It's nice to share!