Developments – Page 2 – Our Family Adventure

Weekends

It’s Sunday night, another weekend come and gone.

Saturday I had a baby shower for my friend, Mary, as no other kids were going to be there I left Ajax home with Dave. I doubt Ajax would have had much fun, but I had a very good time. While I was gone Dave and Ajax ran to the store and then played outside as it was in the high 40s, low 50s. What odd weather. After I got home we did a quick dinner and then Dave left to go watch the Lions game at his cousin’s house with the rest of the guys. That left Ajax and I alone for the night, which was fine. I laid on the couch and watch a silly movie.

We also put a responsibility chart up on the refrigerator for Ajax. He loves stickers and his babysitter has a potty chart that he’s very proud of. I put things on it that I know he does (or can do) – like getting dressed, brushing his teeth, and picking up his toys. I also put things on it that we need to be mindful of – like using nice words (he’s developed a small habit of swearing), gentle hands, and an inside voice. He’s done well with the chart and likes the positive reward of putting a sticker up. He has done tremendously well with the potty this weekend and this morning came to me to actually poo in the potty (I hope this doesn’t embarrass him too much when he’s older).

Today was busy doing wrap-up weekend activities – grocery shopping, laundry, and cleaning the bathroom. I actually had energy this afternoon and made yogurt, granola bars, and dinner for Monday night. As Ajax did so well with the potty this weekend we let him pick out a new book when we were out and about today. He picked out a Thomas the Train book that’s actually pretty cute. Lately he’s been asking us to read the same 2 – 3 books at bedtime and I must admit I don’t think I could have taken it much longer.

I have also decided to remove dairy from Ajax’s diet for 30 days. My mom has suggested this in the past and I began doing some research on the connection between diet (specifically, food allergies) and recurrent ear infections. Last night I put together a complete timeline of all of Ajax’s ear infections/aches/etc. and prescribed treatment and was shocked to realize how many successive rounds of antibiotics he’d been on, to no effect, and am concerned regarding the current nasal spray situation. Based on my research – dairy – is the most common food allergy of small children, so that is what we’re starting with.

DSCN9450 — Ajax and his new book at bedtime.

Potty Update: 2

Just wanted to give another quick potty update.

It is way way to soon to say that Ajax is potty trained, but we are staying the course, lol. Tuesday he did wonderful at the babysitters and then at home with no accidents. Today was a bit rougher, but overall still very good. He had one real accident and one small one. The small one was while we were at the ear specialist. Ajax and I were in the waiting room and he told me he had to pee, but we just didn’t make it there in time and he had a very small accident. Tonight he asked to wear his big boy underwear to bed and because he’s been waking up dry we said ok. We’ll see how he does. He still isn’t pooing in the potty… we have to think of something really awesome to bribe him with, lol. Yes, we are those parents.

As for the ear doctor, he put Ajax on an antihistamine as he feels the fluid buildup is due to allergies (which he said could be anything… dirt, carpet, hair, lol), our pediatrician said the same thing on Saturday, so now Ajax is on two nasal sprays. I’m not terribly happy about this, but at this point we’ll do almost anything.

[sorry for no pictures]

Potty Update

Quick update: We made it through today without one accident! We even made a trip out to two different stores and Ajax did great. He napped in underwear and woke up dry. We stopped hounding him every two seconds about whether he had to use the potty and that seemed to help relax him. The only hiccup today was that he refused to poo in the potty today, though he has in the past. I understand that this is a big thing for ninos and we didn’t push him on it. I spoke with the babysitter who will continue our efforts tomorrow. We’ll see how it goes.

Round 2

In the bottom drawer of Ajax’s dresser I keep his “big boy” underwear, along side his pull-ups, and diapers. When Ajax needs a new diaper I usually ask him to go get me one, making him go to the drawer and think about whats inside. A few times he’s come back with underwear and I’d ask him, “So are we done with diapers? That means using the potty.” And he’d respond by saying, “Um… no.” And we’d default to a diaper.

This morning I asked Ajax to get me a diaper and he came back with a pair of underwear. I asked him if he was ready for underwear and he said yes. I’m not going to lie, I was not in the mood for all the cleanup and chasing, especially as I had made up my mind that we wouldn’t attempt potty training till after he was 3. Ajax; however, insisted on the underwear so I conceded. I have to tell you… he’s done quite well today. He’s had two accidents, but has successfully used the potty three times. Saying, “I have to pee!” and he’d run over to the potty.

I’m not sure where this day will end and I’m mighty realistic about the whole thing, but just thought I’d share.

Good moods and sleep

So something has apparently clicked and Ajax is back to being a very happy nino. He’s now eating very well and sleeping through the night again. It’s amazing how much happier we all are when we sleep, lol.

Tonight for dinner Ajax ate tandoori chicken and saffron rice and apple sauce. Between bites he said, “when I was a baby…” I said, “yes, when you were a baby?” He said, “yea, when I was a baby I played with toys.” I said, “yes, you did play with toys. Do you know what your favorite toy was?” He said, “no. What was it?” Dave and I then explained how his favorite toy was his train. We explained how it would run in circles and then we even sang the little song that it played. Yes, that’s how much he loved that toy. Ajax seemed genuinely interested in us telling him about the train and when he was a baby. It was pretty funny. Right now his favorite toys are his trucks, mostly centering on his John Deeres. My aunt Terri just gave Ajax several more trucks for his collection and he is now in seventh heaven (thank you aunt Terri!). Now, Ajax also says that he’s “working” and not “playing.” He’s a big boy now.

There are currently two babies at the babysitter’s house and Ajax just loves them. He’s very interested in other babies, but not so much if I’m holding one. lol.

BEDS!

I’m in the midst of a small panic attack. Ajax is in bed (hopefully sleeping) – in his new Big Boy Bed! Ahh!

Yesterday when Dave was driving him home from the sitter they were discussing the finer points of his new big boy bed and then today when I was outside with him he kept walking over and pointing to it, asking about his big boy bed. When Dave got home we talked about it and then asked Ajax if he really wanted to sleep in his new bed and he enthusiastically answered, yes!

Dave and I transferred the bed into his room before dinner and put his old crib mattress into the bed (the bed came with a mattress, but we gave it away). Ajax right away jumped into bed and said he was ready to go to sleep. We actually had a hard time getting him out of the bed. I haven’t seen him this excited over something in quite a while. Every few moments he kept drifting back into his room and laying on his bed.

Tonight after his milk and four books we asked if he was ready for bed and he took off toward his room and put himself into bed. Dave and I each tucked him in and gave him a kiss. So far so good. I’m worried he’s going to get up in the night, even though the chance of that happening is quite low. As a parent I’m hoping to use this bed as some form of leverage to get Ajax to behave a bit better during dinner time as his current manners at the table are a bit horrendous.

DSCN8831 — We couldn't get him out of it.

DSCN8832 — I'm going to buy him some cute bedding from Ikea. I've already checked it out!

Beds Part II

Today when I got to the babysitter’s house to pick up Ajax all the kids were still napping. When I asked where Ajax was, I was told- oh he’s napping still, he’s in the living room on a cot. A COT!

Till this point Ajax has slept in a pack and play at the sitters, but the sitter explained she has a new little baby and Ajax was the oldest child to be rotated to the cots. She said that he actually started last week and was doing excellent (I’m a little annoyed that this wasn’t mentioned to either Dave or myself). He hasn’t gotten up during nap time, hasn’t fallen out of bed, etc. Plus, there are two other small boys that nap on cots in the living room as well and all three have been sleeping great!

I feel a little silly now as we were shopping for toddler beds and I was going on and on about my little man getting older and possibly being ready for a big boy bed and here the kid is sleeping in cots like a 5 year old, lol. I guess the hold up has been that I haven’t wanted to start looking at beds as that would mean my little guy is growing up. I guess I also need to face up and begin potty training in earnest.

Tonight Ajax helped me pick tomatoes from the garden and then rode them back to the house on his bike. My parents then came over and brought dinner, which was great. Thank you!

Baby Mozart

Ajax has been all about music lately. He has a drum that plays songs and he’ll carry it all over the house so he can dance to the music. Of course I’m biased, but I think he’s musically inclined! Here’s a short clip of him playing the key board with my dad.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm1Qlr-qJgg&hl=en&fs=1]

Apples and Rice

The way to my son’s heart is definitely through his stomach, but heaven forbid he have to wait an extra twenty minutes for dinner. Honestly you would think the world had come to an end.

Usually we eat dinner around 6 pm; to do this that means I usually prep meals for Dave to easily throw into the oven or Dave makes breakfast for dinner. Tonight when I got home at 6, however, Dave asked that I make dinner as he wanted to get the yard done (it’s supposed to rain the rest of the week). I said no problem and then started poking around the freezer as I failed to set something aside this morning. Ajax, however, realized that it was 6 pm on the nose and also realized that food was not being immediately presented to him. I quickly settled on chicken fried rice (as I had a bag of cooked chicken in the freezer) and started prepping.

As I stood at the stove Ajax kept trying to wedge himself between my body and the stove and would then bang on the oven door screaming! He kept screaming and screaming, you would think this child never got anything to eat. Of course the window was open, so you have Ajax screaming – Momma Momma, eat bite apple! And then I’m yelling- Give me two minutes, two minutes! How am I supposed to… get away from the stove, Hot hot! Yes I’m sure my neighbors think we’re crazy.

Ajax’s new word is currently – apples. So of course for dinner he had apple slices and chicken fried rice. I would also like to report that that I got dinner on the table in a record 25 minutes!

Little helper and correction

Ajax has been such the little helper lately. He wants to see and do whatever you’re doing… I think I need to buy him a little vacuum next. You know, so that he can really begin to help and contribute to the household.

He loves helping Dave unload the dishwasher. He’ll pick up one fork at a time… it actually takes quite a while to unload the dishwasher when he’s “helping.”

Tonight for dinner I also let him help me make the salad. He loved the oil and vinegar dressing I made, and kept picking up tomatoes, licking off all the dressing, and then putting them into the bowl. He also helped stir salad, which meant quite a bit ended up on the floor and counter. It was pretty cute.

Also on an update note- my sister in law is in Pittsburgh, not Philly. My bad.