Happy Thanksgiving!

Pictures will have to wait until we get home to unload the camera, but suffice it to say that we are all now as stuffed as the turkey.  Robert ate so much food that he resembled Tempelton.  Maybe that's why it's 9:30 and he still not asleep?!?

Anyway, hope everyone else had equally as good food, and far superior sleep.  This year we are thankful for so much, including YOU!

A fun evening

Monday was a big day. We went to the farm to see Grandma and Grandpa Madison and Great Aunt Carol. Despite not taking a nap, Robert did very well and had a lot of fun playing with Tucker (Grandma and Grandpa's dog). He also got to play with wooden blocks for the first time, though Mama and Aunt Carol had more fun building towers and knocking them down than Robert did. I wish I had gotten a picture of Robert putting himself into the box that the blocks were in-- it was pretty funny. Needless to say, he didn't fit.

Then, last night, Aunt Ann and Uncle Jonathan came to visit, along with Jonathan's dad, Al. Al is a great favorite, and we don't get to see him nearly enough. Needless to say, Robert took to him right away. We had fun playing with him and getting some cute pics, and he did very well staying up through dinner and then went to bed in about 2 seconds. Which was nice, since he decided to go to bed right before dessert, and I wanted that cheesecake!

This I'm pretty sure about...

My next-door neighbor (who has a daughter Robert's age) and I were discussing things we tell pregnant people now that they should or shouldn't have/do for the baby.  So I started thinking that maybe I should share the things I have learned this year.  I do so in the full recognition that I didn't believe anything that people with kids told me before I had Robert, but this kind of knowledge is so hard won that I (and every other mom) feel compelled to share.  So, here is the first in what may be a regular list of things I'm pretty sure about...

• Crib skirts are totally not worth buying. In fact, the whole bedding set they try to sell you is an enormous waste of money.  You can't use the crib bumpers (no, really, put them down.  they are death-traps.), you can't use the blankets (see above) and the skirt is totally worthless once you lower the crib mattress.  So buy to knit organic cotton sheets at BRU, and spend that $200 on something else.  Like...
• The annoying plastic toys that sing songs are going to be your kid's favorite toys.  Yes, you swore you wouldn't have them, that they are cheap and tacky and you wouldn't look at them sitting in your living room.  That you weren't going to have a bunch of toys that require batteries.  Until you realize that your kid will sit in the car for 2 hours if he has his little LeapFrog Animal Alphabet Discovery Ball.  And then it goes to the top of the list of things you would save in a fire. 
• Rechargeable batteries are the best thing you can give new parents.  For the first 6 months we had 2 recharging stations going at any one time.  
• Nipple confusion is something that men who don't want to get up in the middle of the night to feed babies made up so that new moms have to breastfeed 24/7.  Give the baby a bottle every now and then so he'll be able to go back and forth.  Oh, and a little formula won't kill the kid either.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.  

I'm sure there a bunch of other stuff, but hopefully we'll get some new pictures of Robert downloaded so you don't have to listen to me pontificate about parenthood.   

What a difference a year makes...

This is Robert, a year ago today:And two pics from the last couple of weeks.  I can't believe how the time flies:

(Sort of) Missing My Moose

So, Rob and Robert have been out of town since Thursday.  This is the first time I have had more than 48 hours (and that only once) to myself since Robert was born.  For someone who is used to being alone with some regularity, this has been a huge and not entirely welcome change.  So, I have to give props to Rob and his folks for spending this weekend with the baby so I have had a little time to myself.  My dissertation, the house, and my sanity all thank you.

I was a little nervous and guilty about how this weekend would go-- would I miss the baby?  Would I *NOT* miss the baby?  Would 4 days be enough?  Too much?  I guess I needn't have worried.  I've got done most of what I wanted to do, and am really looking forward to the boys getting home. 

Just another baby blog...

I can't believe I have succumbed  to the pressure, but here goes my first attempt at a blog.  The idea that anything in my life would be of any interest to the greater world (even to friends and family) is sorta inconceivable, but, hey, all the kids are doing it.  And, if nothing else, it is a way to share baby pictures!

For those of you playing along at home, Robert just turned 13 months.  The relationship between toddlerhood and adolescence has been suggested many other places, and let me add my hearty agreement.  My sweet, placid, good-natured baby-- well, who am I kidding, he's still there, but he gets temporarily kidnapped by a tantrum-y, moody, unpredictable toy-thrower who bites.  Hard.  He continues to be huge-- 98th percentile for height, 75th for weight, which makes him taller than he is fat, I guess.  (Thank God for his daddy's genes!)

Ok, as a reward for listening to me blather on, here are some new pics...