A New Week, New Layouts

Let's watch Alton get younger again, shall we?


both of the above LOs were made with the Flergs/Kaye Winiecki kit A Perfect Day

Ziggle and Amanda Heimann's Surfer Dude
Scrap Orchard Designers, Beach Bum
Madame Wing, My Man
Wyld Web Designs New Recycling
Scrap Orchard Designers Starry Night
Britt-ish Designs Space Ranger

Madame Wing, A Star is Born
Madame Wing
kit by me!!!

I have been feeling VERY nostalgic since Alton turned two on Friday. Hence the labor and birth day layouts.

Alton is definitely two. He says no, multiple times a day and is into EVERYTHING!!! He is talking more, and tries to tell stories. So cute!

I cut his bangs for the first time yesterday. I have to say, I did a pretty good job. They are reasonably straight, I did not cut them too short and there aren't any jagged edges. Trying to get him to look at me and hold still was an adventure though, I will tell you.

Silly Boy

Let the record reflect that for the first time in his existence, Alton pulled the wool over his baby sitter's eyes and convinced them to let him stay up waaaay past his bed time. He was 5 days shy of being 20 months old!

Travis's Aunt Laurel and Uncle Larry watched Alton when we went out for dinner and dessert for Valentine's Day. We went out, had great food and fabulous dessert. We got home after 10 o'clock and imagine my surprise when upon returning home, Larry greeted us and I heard someone answer Laurel. It was not Larry, Travis or myself.

So I went into my bedroom, where Alton and Auntie Lala were cozied up and watching Robin Hood.

Auntie Lala said, "We tried to put him to bed and he just kept letting himself out of his room." (We have child proofing door knob protectors. Le sigh. That was not money well spent. Thankfully they were free from Harrison's mommy Rose.) "Then he climbed into your bed and started pointing at the TV. When I put the movie on, he kept patting the bed next to him, so I sat and watched it with him."

He was still WIDE awake. So Travis took him to take the baby sitters home. He did finally fall asleep in the car on the way to San Pedro. Then he slept until 8 this morning. :)

Bad Mommy! A Few Choice Words

I haven't been posting about Alton lately. I have been consumed by getting ready for Christmas and the fact that I am ill. That is much better excuse than the truth, which is digital scrapbooking has taken over my life and I feel badly because I let myself compare my child to other children. Which is something we should never ever do as mothers.

Alton still isn't talking much. A few of his peers speak way more than he does, and I have let that embarrass me; thinking that he is behind or I should be doing more, like reading to him EVEN more or doing flash cards or something.... In reality he is right where he should be. His pediatrician is very impressed with his motor skills, both fine and large. He is ahead on some of his physical skills, and she told me that sometimes kids just race ahead in one area, and then catch up on the others later.

Since his 18 month appointment, he was learned even more new words, and some new signs. He is still using Daddy, doggie, duckie, and dirty. At his appointment, he used Mama. Which he had learned the sign for already.

My sister was watching Alton while I went to the doctor, and she was trying to get him to say Mama. He kept signing "Mama" at her, and she called me and asked, "What does it mean when he sticks his hand out like a turkey and keeps banging his chin with it?" I told her, "Mama." She swore and said, "You need to stop teaching him sign language. He is never going to learn to talk if he keeps this up!" I am going to refrain from further comments about that at this time.

Any way, he learned the sign for "Mama" and I am trying to teach him, "I love you". I use the sign and the words, so I am hoping he will pick up both.

As far as words go, he has said his first sentence! My dad and I were at Disneyland and were walking past the Rivers of America. We asked Alton, "Do you see duckies?" He repeated back to us quite clearly, "I see duckies!" This leads me to believe that he has the capacity to say a lot more than he actually does.

This isn't the first time he has taken his sweet time to do something. He started cruising at 6 months. We were convinced that he would start walking by nine months. But, he did not walk unassisted until 11 months. But once he did walk, he did it well right away. None of this stumbling and taking only 2 or 3 steps. He was crossing rooms as soon as he walked unassisted.

So his word repertoire now includes the following: Daddy, doggie, donkey, dirty, ducky, mama, yeah, no, and all done.
His signing repertoire includes, "Mama", "diaper", "please", "thank you", "more", and "all done".

This weekend he started telling us when his diaper was dirty and demanded a changed diaper. :) He has done it every day since Saturday. We bought him a potty today. I am not sure what I am going to do about potty training. I don't want to rush him, but it would nice to not have wash diapers as often....

I have an embarrasing confession...

Alton learned how to turn on the TV two weeks ago. Since he learned how to turn it on, he watches it. Eeek! He loves the Shrek movies and the Toy Story movies. He didn't care for Cars though, which odd. But my guess is that it is because there aren't any people or animals. He LOVES Donkey in the Shrek movies and will just laugh and laugh at Donkey.
I guess collecting Disney movies for the last 10 years will finally payoff now!

The "All done" Video

Alton has FINALLY learned the sign for "all done"! But here is a video with the sign and the pointing to the belly button. :)

He is so stinkin cute!

Alton learned how to sign "please". It is the cutest thing! He still won't use the sign for all done, but when he is done eating, Alton now lifts his shirt and points to his belly button, or Bee-bo. It is so stinking cute! I am going to try to get it on video at dinner tonight.

He's Signing!

So as a lot of you know, we have been TRYING to teach Alton some basic signs to make life easier for all concerned. He learned the sign for milk when he was six months old. He still slept with us or in his crib next to us and I can still remember him waking me up and flexing his little fists at me.

When he was a little older and started solids, I began trying to teach him the sign for "all done". Here we are, about a year later, and he has still decided not to use the sign for "all done".

Undeterred, I decided to try to teach him other signs; "more" was the next logical step. It took a couple of months, but he FINALLY learned to sign "more". When he learned "more", he stopped using the sign for "milk".

Now he signs "more" all the time. He signs "more" when he is tired. He signs "more" when he wants more food. He signs "more" when he is all done. We waste a lot of food this way.

I have been trying to teach him the signs for "please" and "thank you". When I ask him to "ask nicely please", he simply signs "more" at me. Le sigh. At least it's better than whining right?

We have a baby signs board book that Alton likes me to read to him and as we read it, I make each of the signs at him. My dad (Alton's pop pop) has decided that it is his job to keep Alton supplied in Costco's oatmeal raisin cookies. You can see where this is going right? As I was reading Alton the signs book, I made the sign for "cookie" at him. He looked me in the eye, and repeated the sign back at me. So Alton got a cookie and a kiss from mommy.

Still no sign of "all done"....

So yesterday Pop Pop, Alton and I were at Costco in the deli section. Alton could see the bakery section and signed "cookie" at Pop Pop. So we went over to the cookie section and procured a box of Costco's finest. Alton started to whine as soon as the cookies touched the cart.
I told him, "If you ask mommy nicely and sign "cookie", you can have one." He looked at me like I was speaking Gibberish and whined again.
"Alton, you need to ask mommy nicely, we don't whine when we want something."
Again with the blank stare followed by the whine.
"If you don't ask mommy nicely, she doesn't understand what you want."

He looked me right in the eye and said aloud, clear as day, "Cookie."

Well that's better than the sign! He got his cookie.

So back at home today, I was trying to clean up the kitchen to start cooking dinner. Alton walked right up to me and signed "please"! Then he pointed and whined at the snack cupboard. So he got some graham cracker gold fish and craisins. Then when Daddy came home from work, I turned off the TV and put some music on. Alton noticed the TV was off (which it normally is) and looked at Travis and signed "please"!

He has also used thank you sporadically. I am hoping that any day now he is going to use the sign for "all done". Any day now....

100th Post! Park Day again

Same kit from yesterday. I love this picture of Alton!

We had an accident Sunday night. Alton tripped over his daddy's feet and he split his beautiful little lip open. We went to the doctor Monday and they said no anti-biotics. He was in good spirits during the day on Monday, so I am hoping that he is on the mend and that he won't have a scar. Please pray for healing, I know most boys get some sort of scar in their lives but I hate to think he is scarred for life at such a young age!

Alton has started "dancing" and it is highly obvious he is white. He has no sense of rhythm whatsoever, but it still the most darling thing I have ever seen. He loves books and points out animals wherever we go. He has been trying very hard to use his fork and spoon, and is getting much better about keeping his food on his plate.

He is utterly in love with his daddy, and it makes my heart flutter to see the two of them together. We are so blessed. :)

So It Begins: The Potty Training Odyssey

As you know, I have a little boy and I thought we wouldn't be dealing with this for at least another six months, but the cloth diapers are working! On Monday, we were visiting Maggie and John to help them to get ready for their move to Sacramento. Alton handed Aunt Maggie and diaper and lay down. He was soaked and needed changing. This morning, he was tugging at his bottom and I asked him, are you poopy and he said "Yes." So we changed his diaper. I am not buying training pants or anything crazy like that, but I am going to start putting Alton on the toilet when he wakes up from his naps and at every diaper change so that he can get used to the toilet.

Alton is not about to let his verbal development take a back seat to his physical development. Yesterday he said clearly "Doggies!" when we came home from the Gedeon's and Jack and Lucy ran to greet us. This morning, he was terrorizing the dogs in their beds and Travis picked Lucy up to save her from Alton. Alton grabbed Travis's leg and said, "Lucy!"

Hell is...

taking an almost one year old with a serious balloon and color red fetish to the supermarket where they are giving away RED BALLOONS.

It started innocently enough, as we entered Ralphs (Kroger to those of you east of CA) last night, the greeter girl gave Alton a red Ralphs balloon. How cute! Look how happy he is as he flashes his dimples and happily bounces his balloon!

The balloon kept him entertained for most of the trip through the market with my dad and grandmother. But when we approached the check stand, trouble loomed. Each check stand had a bouquet of red balloons tied to the open sign as well as an assortment of Congratulations Graduate mylar balloons.

It was as if you could see the balls roll into place in his head. Alton swiveled his head from checkstand to checkstand and took in the sights of red balloon nirvana everywhere. Brains clicks; hand reaches for the balloon display; and "SHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK."

OH MY GOODNESS, the loud pitched squeal of an almost one year old who can't reach what he wants!

"Alton, you have a balloon. Those ones need to stay here for other little boys and girls." At this point, the cashier is laughing. "SHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK." "Alton, this is not acceptable behavior, you need to use your inside voice."

"SHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK." At this point, the cashier is starting to look alarmed and other people are looking at us. "Alton, you are hurting Pop Pop's ears. You have a balloon."

"SHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK."

Now people are staring and talking behind their hands while they discuss my lack of mothering skills, so I fling my Mastercard at my dad and unbuckle Alton from the shopping cart. He hopefully lunged at the nearest balloon bouquet, and came up empty handed.

"SHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK."

"SHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK."

"SHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK."

He kicked his brand new shoe off and had it land on the conveyer belt where our groceries were being checked. I carried him out to the car with as much dignity as I could muster while his face took on the color of his beloved balloons.

I now see why my mom would take a preemptive advil before going to the market with FOUR children.

He WALKED!!!

Today the five of us, (Travis, Alton, Lucy, Jack and me) were in the front yard; I was watering plants when Travis came home from work, so we all stayed out there while I watered. Travis was sitting on the grass playing with Alton while making sure Jackson didn't jump over the fence to eat a neighbor's chihuahua. Alton had been standing next to Travis, waving a spade when Alton took a step and a half and landed on Daddy!

A few minutes later when I finished watering I was walking by them with the hose and Alton took 3 steps towards me!


Previously, he has taken 2 or 3 steps at a time between pieces of furniture or whatever, but this was the first time he walked towards his parents!!!

Where did my little baby go?

Sunny Spring Saturday

We had a pretty good day today. My dad and I went to Costco, and Alton charmed the pants off of everyone. I got a gorgeous Star jasmine bush for $15. I LOVE star jasmine. Our local Costco was out of the the Fraggle Rock season DVDs, and since my brother mentioned that he wants them too, my dad and I had to venture to the Costco in the ghetto. Inglewood is scary, but thankfully the Inglewood Costco was not as scary as the Inglewood Target was.

After that, I came home and planted my plants, and Alton discovered that he can stand for a long time. He also discovered the hose. I got a cute video of him with the hose and I will post a link to it later. Then we went over to my grandmother's for dinner and to be squatters in her living room because she has air conditioning. I miss our air conditioning. When it got cooler, we took Alton and his cousin John John out to the back yard to play and I gardened for my grandmother. All and all it was a pretty good day.

Quick update

We are still alive! I got a new computer FINALLY and I look forward to being able to blog more often. I discovered the great time suck that is Facebook, so if you are on there, look me up with my G-mail e-mail.

Alton is sort of walking. He took three steps yesterday! He is also biting, scratching and pulling hair. He is such a fun age. Le sigh.

Who's here reading? Or did you all give up?

8 Months!

Alton stood independently for about 10 seconds, twice this morning. Of course this was not long enough to get a picture of him doing it, but still, we saw him do it.
We took 8 month pictures this morning, but we don't have time to post them right now. Mommy will probably do it later tonight.

Alton; a Girl, a Walker, and a Binkie: A Video

This is Alton "cruising" with one of his girlfriends, Penelope; in his "ride".

Note the charming way they swap spit via the now communal binkie.

More Cruising Videos

From the front. Sorry it is sideways!

From the other side. Again, sorry it is sideways.

Alton the Cruiser

We have a cruiser! He will be 7 months old on Saturday.

Isn't it awfully early for him to be doing this? He just started to crawl this weekend!

I miss my home being a haven!

So with the arrival of Christmas and half the contents of a Toys r Us now taking up residence in our living room, there are piles of stuff EVERYWHERE!
Not coincidentally, Travis and I have been squabbling more.
On top of that, Alton is sick with a virus that gave him a fever of 104. We went to the emergency room with that one.
Finally, he is cutting his first tooth as well which means he wakes up crying. Oh, and because of the teething and the fact that he is congested at night means that we have to drive him around for 1/2 an hour to get him to sleep and then Travis carries in his Britax Marathon car seat where he sleeps until he wakes up screaming. :( I have rocked him to sleep every night for the past three nights, but he always wakes up 45 minutes later. Poor baby.

I promise that soon I will post never before seen pictures of his 6 month photo session and Christmas morning.

Oh, and while the house is a mess, I am still reading my daily devotional and vacuuming at least the living room. So there is hope for me to return to my routine soon.

Happy day to all of my readers. :)

Five Months Old!

Alton is five months old today!

So I thought I would take a picture of him smiling with this
sign, so that I would know exactly how old he is.

But the sign is made of paper.

And therefore,

must be

eaten and destroyed!

---

Today was a banner day for Alton. He decided he was ready for
solid food.

He stole my banana. He stole my banana and smiled while he was
eating it.

He has had a strong pincher grasp for weeks. He sits up well in his high chair, he's lost his tongue thrust, he has been showing interest in food for about a month, and he handles a spoon well.

So mommy and daddy decided to give him some pureed sweet
potatoes for his after milk dinner.

His first taste.

A little later.

He still loves the camera, even if sweet potatoes are weird.

By the end, he was feeding himself and doing an okay job at
it.

Looks like the practice with the spoon last week was not in
vain.