Archives from 2002-2006

Jan

19

Low-key

Dylan can sign “milk” and “more” now, and he is quite the imperious little butterball, holding up his starfish-hands and demanding that I come scuttling over with yet another schooner of Go & Grow Similac for Young Master. I’m amazed and thrilled that he can actually communicate this way — I shouldn’t say this about my own bright young child but it’s sort of like watching a dog performing a trick, and I suppose I shouldn’t react to his clumsy finger movements with screeches of “Oh, good boy! GOOD BOY!” but really, I can’t help it. At least I don’t toss him a Snausage as a reward. I mean, I would, but he’s not too into the finger foods yet.

It’s hard to believe he’s going to be a year old in just a few weeks. Is it terrible that we don’t really have any kind of fancy birthday celebration planned? Because, well, we don’t. I imagine there will be some cake and family festivities, Poop Party Style, but that’s about it. Perhaps a nice gift of baby-safe power cords with Extra Chewy Centers, if they make such a thing.

I doubt he’ll mind about the lack of formal fanfare, though. (Well: duh. Like any baby is emotionally invested in whether or not their first birthday includes themed napkins and group activities.) When he’s not, you know, being a giant pain in the butt, this boy is awfully good natured. I often think his childhood must be more interesting than Riley’s was, what with the constant entertainment provided by his brother, the general bustle and chaos of our household, and of course the seemingly endless stream of injuries caused by my inability to focus on him at all times (latest one? Lip-first into the wood floor when Riley cluelessly pulled a blanket out from under him, and oh my god, the bleeding, it was like that scene in The Shining with the elevator and the GIANT WAVE OF BLOOD). I hope he remains generally happy-go-lucky as he gets older, for many reasons, but also specifically for birthdays, since he got screwed with this February business. Riley and JB get August, Dylan and I get The Month When All Hope Is Lost, Except for the Tentative Emergence of Daffodils.

Also, I’d like it if he never grows out of wanting to spend as much time as possible snuggling with us. I know better, I suppose. Still, I can always hope.

In other news, I am both super excited that the inauguration is finally here and wishing, sort of, that it was already over, everything having gone off just fine and everyone filled with excitement over the new presidency and ready to get to work and, you know . . . safe.

I plan to watch the ceremony on TV tomorrow morning before heading to work. What about you? Anyone actually going?

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Blythe

15 years ago

I know, I hate that I have to be nervous about this stuff, even during his speech on election night I kept thinking it was all just too good to be true. But good things are ahead, they’ve just gotta be.

andrea

15 years ago

Our big plans include trying to find someplace local (Ballard) to go and watch it so we at least feel like we are experiencing this with other people who are as excited as us about the whole thing. Tomorrow evening we have a neighborhood party to attend which is always fun and a little awkward all rolled into one.

I am feeling the same about birthdays. Older son has a late July birthday and his new sister got stuck with November, luckily it will be a few years before she cares much about the whole thing.

Clueless But Hopeful Mama

15 years ago

My fervent prayer (after healthy baby yadda yadda yadda) is that this second baby is a snuggler. My first starting pushing me away at, like, 6 months.

*fingers crossed for tomorrow* We have the DVR set and we’re hoping to watch it all tomorrow night.

Mary

15 years ago

I have sons with February and July birthdays, and both of them feel like February’s the better deal. In February you’re in school, and they make a big deal over you. You bring treats and have a party. In July, no school, and your friends are all out of town on vacation, so no party. Your mother will have quite possibly forgotten all about your birthday by the time they get back, and then school starts and it’s all downhill.

On a related subject, one would think that one could reliably schedule an outdoor swim party for the July birthday, if one ever did get one’s act together, but if one lived in Seattle, one would be very wrong.

oregoncoastgirl

15 years ago

if by ‘going’, you mean ‘to work’, sadly,yes. i’ll be doing my damndnest to stream it from work.

Shannon

15 years ago

I have one friend who is actually going to DC, but for me, the thought of being in the midst of a crowd of FIVE MILLION PEOPLE is enough to make me want to stab my eyes out with a hot poker while curling up in a fetal position. The television will do me!

Jennifer

15 years ago

I’ll be in the orthodontist’s chair at the actual moment of the swearing-in. Tivo to the rescue! Unless someone in the ortho’s office is watching it on their iPhone or something.

I’m sort of secretly hoping that all the cell phone calls and transmitting of photos at that moment will bring the Internet to its knees. Not that I’m against the Internet, just that I want the inauguration to be a bigger sensation than even the Internet can hold, you know?

thejunebug

15 years ago

We aren’t, but my boss is. She’s been in DC for a few days already. Another friend of mine’s husband works for the Senate and they snagged *seated* tickets for the inauguration – lucky ducks!

I’ll be home and I’ll watch the whole damn thing – I plan on shedding more than a few wussy tears, too. YAY HOORAY YAY YAY YAY!

Aaaaaand, Dylan is such a sweet little snuggle bear. He’s the perfect complement to Riley. :)

Kathy

15 years ago

I’ll be listening to all the hoopla and speeches on the radio at work… wish I could be at home, watching it all on TV.

Donna

15 years ago

It really has gotten to be a big deal huh? I guess I’m just cynical that there will be any huge changes, no matter what anyone says, the president can only ask for the changes, he can’t make the changes on his own. And there has to be hoops to jump through before anything is actually done. I just don’t understand why everyone thinks that everything will be magically different in the space of 4 years.
But it will be a start. And that is a good thing.

Crystal

15 years ago

Babies don’t like Snausages! They prefer Beggin’ Strips:) lol

Jessica

15 years ago

Even when I lived in Maryland, there is not enough xanax in the world that could have gotten me to this or any innauguration. Too many people!

But I’m with Donna, I’m cynical. It seems from everything I’m hearing from people, that they are forgetting that he is just a man, not a god to be worshipped and that congress are the people that pass the laws.

Sylvie

15 years ago

My husband wanted to go (we live in MD), but his mother and I managed to convince him that trying to wrangle through millions of people on a very charged day with absolutely no escape routes was, well, a very bad idea. I have my DVR set so we’ll watch that tonight.

books

15 years ago

Never mind the inauguration, how did you teach Dylan to sign? My 6 mo old is fascinated when I sign the alphabet so I’m thinking he’d be in to it. (I just happen to still know that from checking the sign language book out of the children’s section a google billion times when I was little.(To be honest though, I’m just making the “x” up, I keep meaning to look it up…) I can also sign “wet paint,” (thanks, Sesame Street!) but that’s it.

When did you start trying to teach him? What did you use as a resource?

Re: Birthdays-my MIL was aghast when I said we would not throw a party for my son’s first. All of our family lives 6 hours away. And it’s not like he has any “friends” to invite. And like you said, he has no clue. So who would a party be for? We’ll mark it with a candle and a cupcake smash and call it a day.

I think it’s silly to put on a literal dog and pony show Tori and Dean style with Loni Anderson running around in the background. As he gets older, I don’t plan to spend a mint trying to outdo his classmate’s parties, either. We will not be inviting everyone he knows, nor will we be renting a bouncy house for the back yard and ponies for the front. (Not that we’re going to be all Amish about it, but it will be more about us making him feel special than how much money we can spend.)

And finally, summer birthdays do suck balls once you get to the school/party age. I was an August b-day and the birthday crown envy was at times unbearable. And then the shame of never having my locker decorated in jr. high. At 32, I still feel a little deflated when dancing bears and balloons fail to materialize on my b-day. (SHIT. I just redid the math, I’m 33. How did that happen?)

danielle

15 years ago

For little one’s first birthday in March we are having a small cookout with close family and friends. They’ll be cake for all but no decorations or balloons.

I am so envious that Dylan is a cuddler. The big one is still a cuddle bug at 4 y.o. Little one isn’t interested at all. Now that night time feedings are over, she will never snuggle with me.

15 years ago

Not going, not watching. I can’t sit by and watch our nation be handed over to that man. He is not the Messiah people, just a man (and not one that I have any faith in).

Karin

15 years ago

How about December 26th for a lousy birthday? My poor middle child got hung with that one! We celebrate in February when the kids are all back in school from any “trips” over the holidays, etc. Of course this year’s celebration will be a bit different – it’s her sweet 16! Big party planned at a rented hall with a DJ, catered food and a new “used” car for her personal freedom! HA!

Dylan and Riley are so freaking adorable! I love all your amazing pictures of them! I hope they stay all snuggly for a long time – I really miss those days now that mine are 14, 16, and 18!

warcrygirl

15 years ago

I don’t have plans to watch. Then again, I don’t remember watching ANY inauguration. Right now I’m watching the Weather Channel because we finally got SNOW! Every parent I’ve talked to say the general guideline for birthday parties is one guest per year of age (a rule that is generally ignored). When it comes to birthdays my suggestion is do whatever the hell works for you. Today is Jr’s 10th birthday and we’re going to get 3″ of snow and while that doesn’t sound like much it pretty much stops my little town dead in its tracks. I’ve learned from previous years that planning a big party for 18 or so kids (and then only have 2 or 3 show because of *insert weather problem here*) absolutely blows. This year? A party for his class on Friday and two sleepovers this weekend (it’s a 4 day weekend for us).

Oh yeah, and the one year Jr’s birthday was 65* and sunny I asked myself what could go wrong at his party? STOMACH FLU. I just can’t win.

Stephanie

15 years ago

Watching on TV. Can’t wait to watch it. He can’t change the world single handidly, and I don’t expect him too. He’s only a man. But he’s better than the last men we’ve had in there.

Jess

15 years ago

Dear God, no. I live here, and seriously? Couldn’t drag me to the National Mall with a crane. Probably has something to do with living in the area and being disillusioned, unable to get anywhere I need to because of ALL THE PEOPLE!! Aahh!

jetsy

15 years ago

I live only half an hour from DC (on a normal day), but I just can’t bring myself to try to make the inauguration. *sigh* I suppose one day I might regret that I didn’t go. But it’s 20 outside, people, and I grew up in Texas. When it’s 20, we hibernate. Also, billions of people, portapotties, and vendor hot dogs. Need I say more? A germaphobe’s nightmare.

AndreAnna

15 years ago

Ya know what sucks moose teets? The fact that I will be in a USELESS EFFING meeting during the inauguration. WTG corporate America. Ugh, why can’t someone pay me to eat ice cream and sleep with David Boreanaz?

Marie Green

15 years ago

Oh, baby signs always make me sure that MY baby is pure genius too. I feel like baby signs are the alternative to have a little glass window to their little brains. The thing is, it’s hard for OTHER people to recognize their random hand movements as an actual BABY SIGN. It’s so OBVIOUS to me, when my own kid does it, but to others it probably looks like nothing much.

Anyway I’m sitting here watching the inaguration RIGHT NOW. Also, my very oldest and dearest friend, who lives in DC, had a baby last night! And I can’t go see her! Because- extra 4 million people in the area! GRAAAAAAAH!!

bad penguin

15 years ago

I wondered if I’d feel wistful about not going to the inauguration today, but as I heard the reports this morning, I knew I’d made the right decision. For one thing, it is 20 degrees here today. For another, at 8:45 they were saying on the radio that the mall was already full from the Capitol to the Washington Monument. That is a lot of people. Too many for me. I’ll stay in my office, warm (warmish, the building is freezing) and dry and watch on TV.

Jilian

15 years ago

And my husband laughs at me because I have all this logic on when I’d like to have my kids born :) I think mar/apr/may are the prime months! Granted I know trying to ‘plan’ this is somewhat silly. When we stop preventing I’ll just be ecstatic to create a little baby!

June/July/Aug – Too hot to be pregnant plus then they’d have a summer birthday so it’s not always celebrated in school. (though I do love my june 3rd birthday!)
Sept/Oct – Not so bad. But still pretty pregnant during the hot summer and they’ll just miss turning 5 and being able to start school :)
Nov/Dec/Jan – way to close to Christmas
Feb – No bad feelings really – but I’ll be too focused on snowboarding trips to plan a birthday party :)
Which leaves Mar/Apr/May as great months to have a birthday! haha.

Meagan

15 years ago

There is NO reason to have a giant birthday party for a one year old. Or any birthday party really. Have some of YOUR friends and family over to celebrate having survived another first year.

Joy

15 years ago

Happy Barack Obama Day! Can’t wait!

We did not have big birthday parties for either of our kid’s first birthdays. We live away from family and no one seemed interested in traveling for a party for either child. That actually worked out ok for both kids and we started our own b-day traditions. Now we have a special family day on birthdays where we do some fun stuff tailored to the birthday person. Plus that just means more cake for us!

Eric's Mommy

15 years ago

Oh Dylan you are so cute.

telegirl

15 years ago

We got our little guy to sign “milk”, “more”, and “all done” and that’s as far as we got because we started kind of late and he actually signed “more” and said it at the same time “Mo, mo?”. Kind of defeated the purpose. To teach your kids? Repetition. Find a couple signs and teach them. After they finish eating something, ask them “More?” and sign it and give them more of what they were eating or drinking. If they want a bottle, sign “milk” and say it and give it to them. Over and over. They’ll catch on. Just don’t do too many signs at once, it will confuse them. Just my 2 cents worth.

Our little guy’s 2nd birthday is in 12 days and I haven’t done a thing about it. Gah! I need to get on it. Not that we’ll do some crazy event or anything, just a family thing. The only other kid his age in day care is a girl and she bites him regularly which rules out an invitation for her.

As far as the inauguration? I’m in a stupid meeting also. Other co-workers are downstairs in a room with the TV watching it all.

kate

15 years ago

I too, am cursed with the february b-day…so I also celebrate my 1/2 b-day–at least that way I get a warm day too:)

Piecemeal People

15 years ago

We live in Baltimore, about 45 minutes away from the festivities. We briefly contemplated going, but ultimately the cold and the crowds (and our three kids) kept us away. Every hotel in Baltimore was booked to full capacity this past weekend and we saw license plates from all over the country. Very exciting!

Maria

15 years ago

We had a relatively big ta-do with my son’s first birthday party. He was relatively clueless, except to pause now and then to (I think) ponder why everyone was staring at him. We had a lot of my extended family there, but it was really an excuse to get together, which we get do so little nower days. It was busy, but nice. For my daughter, however, we were moving in a week so we did it on a smaller scale, and there’s something to be said for that. It was just close family and friends, and it was lovely.

Just watched the inauguration streaming live on cnn.com Live with Facebook. The stream was excellent, and it included status updates of FB friends that were watching at the same time. Very cool.

Brooke

15 years ago

Aaack! If Dylan is going to be a year soon, that means my son will be a year six weeks after Soon!!!!

I watched the inauguration on CNN in the student cafeteria with my boss. I wanted to see the Obamas walk down to the White House, but Boss got up to leave and I took that as my cue. Meh. I’ll catch it on YouTube.

Gaby

15 years ago

I have a February birthday, too, and I agree that the only good thing about that month is my birthday. Everyone’s so.over winter by that point, spring is a little too far away still, and some people get all bent out of shape over Valentine’s Day (which I find silly, but still, it happens). Hurray for Feb. birthdays!

Bianca

15 years ago

I love how some people assume that because others are feeling inspired and excited about our new president that must mean we think he’s the messiah.
When people were blindly following Bush’s agenda, no one went around assuming his supporters thought he was the messiah, at least I never heard that.
As for birthdays, I’m an early March person, and aside from the fact that it rains often on my birthday, I love my month!

Amy

15 years ago

What is it with babies and power cords? My 10-month-old loves them, especially the ones attached to our laptops. He thinks his older brother is the greatest thing ever and always wants to do whatever his brother is doing. It has resulted in more minor injuries, and of course, the choking hazards related to his brother’s toys.

I would have loved to go to the inauguration, but I had no desire to deal with the metro, the cold, or the crowds. Seriously, there were long lines of cars to get to the metro at 3 in the morning. I did watch it on TV. I would have love to bring my three-year-old, who is crazy about Obama, but can you imagine a three-year-old at the Mall? He also watched it on TV with my MIL. The speech was beautiful. I am so hopeful about this Presidency.

Alice

15 years ago

I just got back from it – cold, crowded, but so worth it.

Bliz

15 years ago

I was there! Also had “seated” tickets but ended up kneeling instead. Had an insane time waiting in line (3 hours), and then, five yards from the entrance gate, I dropped my ticket and someone snatched it up and disappeared. PANIC. However, it was late and the chaos was great enough that I was able to slip in anyway, after some choked-back sobs. I was with my big brother, and in the end it was totally worth it. O-ba-ma!

Swistle

15 years ago

I don’t do big birthday bashes, either. Cake. Presents. Just us.

I watched it on TV this morning and forced my two oldest boys to watch it with me.

erin

15 years ago

OH that DYLAN is so loveable. LOVE HIM.

I took 2 hours vacation this morning to watch the ceremony. Totally worth it, in my opinion. Then went back to work.

I will also give a big sigh of RELIEF tomorrow morning when the President is alive and well.

aimee

15 years ago

I was there!!!!! We had tickets, got there bright and early and something went terribly wrong with our gate…thousands of people didn’t get in. :( I posted about it yesterday here: http://tinyurl.com/8b75g9

Tia

15 years ago

My son is signing and we just think its the cutest thing ever. He never cared about the tv until I bought Baby Signing Time off of Amazon. Now he’s doing the sign for baby till we put the video in. He did have a set back after introducing him to the video though (he would do the milk sign for EVERYTHING). But thankfully he’s stopped that! We started in hope to curb some of the tantrums that we experienced with the older kids. Hopefully it works!