Spencer's First Football Game

We went to Louisiana this weekend to visit some of my family. One of my cousins is a high school senior, and he has accepted a football scholarship to Tulane. We are all so proud of his hard work, and we went to see him play Friday night.

Against all common sense, I took Spencer who had missed his afternoon nap. My kid goes to bed at 7 WITH an afternoon nap. The alternative was to leave him with a babysitter he didn't know in a house he'd been in for about an hour. This seemed cruel to both the sitter and Spencer. I knew we could leave the game if needed--so on we went.

I danced him around to the pre-game music, and he loved that.

Then everyone yelled and screamed as the players ran out onto the field (me included). He did NOT love that.

After a few more outbursts from the crowd (all of which he handled poorly), he nuzzled his little head down and fell asleep.

This, after I just went on and on to my aunt about how my child NEVER falls asleep in public. Ha! Apparently I just never let him get good and miserably tired. (Actually, I typically safeguard against this on purpose) I have a feeling some of the aversion to the noisy crowd was due to his insane level of exhaustion. However, he's never been a big fan of loud people. (Yes, ironically, he has me for a mother). He slept until the end of the half when there was another very loud moment. Then, it was time to go back to the hotel.

Of course, he wouldn't fall asleep for hours since the nap at the ball game had taken the edge off his sleepiness. It made for an interesting night.

Human Nature Exhibit A: The Food is Always Greener

Spencer had polished off a dinner of chicken, sweet potato, green beans, corn bread, and milk. He was working on a cookie, and Jonathan was eating his dinner. I hungrily hopped up to fix my own plate. I sat back down with a salad of spinach and mixed greens with Italian dressing. Spencer quickly realized he had not been offered any salad. He could NOT have been hungry. Nonetheless, he proceeded to scream at me until I handed him what he knew was the one thing on the table he had not tasted. So, I reluctantly handed my 9.5 month old a spinach leaf. O, what joy ensued...

I can't believe you were holding out on me mom. Betrayal.

This is great.

I'm going to chew on this leaf indefinitely just to prove my point.

I'm going to show him these pictures when he is 3 and refuses to eat spinach. And again, when he's 12 and refuses to eat spinach. He had never sat in his seat this long, and he has yet to do it again. I guess it's time to pull out the mixed greens.

My Review of Fisher-Price Happy Day/Night 96 Count Diapers - Size 3

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

Day and night protection in one convenient box! Each pack includes the right mix of Happy Days and Happy Nights Diapers for 24-hour protection. Happy Savings coupon booklet included in each pack featuring up to $10 in savings when you buy Fisher-Price diapers, toys and baby gear.

Fisher-Price Happy Day/Night 96 Count Diapers - Size 3

Worst Night Time Leak We've Ever Had

By Nanny then Mom from Little Rock, AR on 9/21/2009

 

1out of 5

Cons: Plasticky feel not soft, Leak

Describe Yourself: Nanny then Mom

I have a 9 month old baby boy who sleeps on his tummy, so night time diapers are a must for us. I was so excited when I saw these online and read all the great reviews. Lately, we have struggled with dirty diapers leaking and have not had problems with wet leaks--until we used this diaper. The first morning, my baby woke up SOAKED. This hasn't happened in months, and he'd had no more liquids than any other day. I am very disappointed.

(legalese)

What Spencer Wants for Christmas

I think I've discovered what Spencer wants for Christmas. It was love at first sight.

When I took him out he threw a temper tantrum. I didn't get any pictures of that, but it was impressive. He LOVED the horn, but was very perturbed that he couldn't honk it. He fussed until I did it over and over and over and over and over...you get the idea. Later he realized that the wheels on one of the cars had rain water in it. And he could drink it AND splash it every where. That's when the real fun began. He pulled the whole car over on himself twice and didn't make one peep about it. He just sat/laid there until I lifted the car off of him. He also noticed that when he twirled one of the back wheels, the other one went around too. He kept trying to touch them both at the same time. Such a deliberate little child. Observing him playing with this car would have been a developmental specialists dream. His wheels were turning! Excuse the pun.

Baby Clothes

Mini-Boden

I've always loved this company and hoped I'd be able to dress my little one in their clothes one day. They are not cheap, but I have a mother-in-law who LOVES to outfit her little ones. We have ordered some winter clothes from them, and I can't wait to see if it's as cute in person as it is online. They are offering free shipping (and free shipping on returns?) to first-time customers through the end of September.

Basic Brilliance

I wish someone had told me about this web site sooner! I LOVE all it's basics, and would have had Spencer in this stuff everyday when he was a newborn. How great for days you want to take pictures! I hate it when clothes distract from a baby's face! Also, what a perfect "go to" for costume building blocks!

Tea Children's Clothing

A boutique in our area carries this line, and at the end of the season they mark it WAY down! I have been very happy with how it's made, etc, but more importantly it looks very "boy"--which I love!

Crazy 8

I have not ordered anything from here yet, but they have some cute things. It is the same company as Gymboree. I think it is supposed to be like Old Navy to their Gap. Let me know if you've ordered any of their things. I hate paying shipping, so they'll have to have something REALLY cute before I bite the bullet.

Favorite Baby/Kid Clothing Brands? Anyone?

Snippets of Spencer

Aloha! Spencer seems more like a toddler every day. Even his screaming is more grown up. Yes, it's louder, but it is also filled with big boy emotion. He has 2 bottom teeth now, and 2 top ones are well on their way. We are praying that's why he continues to wake up between 3 and 4 am these days.

We survived the stomach virus the week leading up to Labor Day. I consider it a moral as well as a physical victory.

Spencer had his 9 month well visit last week. The nurse who gave him his flu shot said, "Wow! He is A LOT stronger than he looks!" This, coming from a woman who does this all day, every day. I just laughed and agreed. Someday Spencer will be so proud to hear what a strong baby boy he was. He is in the 25-50% percentile range for weight, and BARELY in that range for height. I had been wondering why they made baby shorts so long. All of his 3-6 month shorts still fit him like capris!

He has been shutting himself into the dark bathroom lately. He doesn't scream or cry or yell. He just starts talking to himself (or me?) about it. Then I have to slowly crack the door open and coax him to step back further and further so as to not knock him over. Eventually we get a big enough crack for him to walk through.

It is raining this morning, and Spencer crawled over to the sliding glass door, laid down on his tummy and stared out at the rain. It was pretty adorable.

He ate a whole waffle for breakfast yesterday. It was quite incredible. Then, last night he enjoyed my stuffed mushroom. I didn't have one bite. The kid will not eat a bite of banana, but stuffed mushrooms? bring 'em on!

We went to see Jonathan's grandmother in the nursing home yesterday, and Spencer LOVED checking out the wheels on everyone's walkers and wheel chairs. He was obsessed with them. I tried not to think about all the germs on the FLOOR of the nursing home. We are certainly building his immune system.

I Heart This!

I have sensitive skin. And that may be the biggest understatement you hear all day. For example, I had swollen eyes and a rash around one eye for about 3 days after wearing brand new, expensive "hypo-allergenic" eye shadow for some family pictures. (So, if you see me out and about with no makeup on and think, "Why doesn't she ever 'help' herself?" Now you know, most makeup DESTROYS my face).

As you can imagine, when I find a product that works for me, I stick with it. For years I used a lotion eye makeup remover by Nivea. I can't use any of their other products, but this one worked for me. They have apparently stopped making it. (collective sigh) I was going to bite the bullet and buy Clinique's lotion eye make up remover, but the sales lady told me the wrong price then rung me up for the correct (and higher) price.

Of course, that, in and of itself would not keep me from buying it--people make mistakes. However, when I asked her about it, she was very rude and acted like I was an idiot. Always appreciated by an exhausted mom who dragged her infant to the STUPID mall. So, I walked. I'll just use water before I buy that from them now, I thought. And use water I did, until the latest crazy rash, when I really needed something gentle to help me get off all of the expensive and angst-causing gook we call "make-up."

[Big caveat: You've heard my theory, right? If EVERYONE would stop wearing makeup, we could save money, save time, AND level the playing field. Get out of the house without any makeup on today? No problem--NO ONE has on any makeup! So far this hasn't caught on....can't imagine why]

I went out on a really long limb and bought something that I have never used before and could not try beforehand. I know that you can go to nice stores, and pay more than we spend on groceries in a month to walk out with an excellent product. Can you tell from the tone of this paragraph that I am not only too thrifty for that but that I am morally opposed?

To the point, I bought this--

Physician's Formula Lotion Eye Makeup Remover.

It is great. And coming from me, that is all you need to hear. If the oily stuff doesn't bother you, that's fine--but as you can guess, it burns my face. And THIS is the answer.

Things seldom have this sort of happy ending for me in the "product" world, so I felt compelled to share the good news. Please let me know if you have a favorite (and very affordable) product!

Back to Real Life and My Amazing Husband

As many of you know, we have only temporarily connected to the internet here at the Kelley Household. Partly for financial reasons, but even more because I have little to no self-discipline. My parents have moved into their new house, and they will be hooking up their internet on Thursday. We were "storing" it for them.

There is something too satisfying to the ego to have a list of "followers." For that and random other non-reasons I will continue to post periodically as Spencer allows.

Now I have to brag on my husband for a paragraph. (I owe it to him after posting baby pictures of him in his "Christmas outfit") He currently works 2 jobs, gets up with Spencer in the middle of the night, spends entire weekend doing yard work and cleaning house with me, does the dishes every day, and of late, sent me to get an hour-long massage and a pedicure on his day off. Additionally, he puts up with me--which, as some of you know is not really an art or a science. It's really more of a spiritual discipline. He likes me even when I really don't like myself. You do not know patience until you have known Jonathan. God gives good gifts.