Many Babies. Handle it.

Pictures issue is sorted, back on track!  Now let's backtrack a bit:  At the beginning of the month my sister, brother-in-law, and their baby came to visit.  Their baby is only six weeks older than Thumper, and this was the first time they'd be meeting each other.  Needless to say, we were all pretty excited.  I was a bit nervous, though.  Thumper had never really spent much time with any baby - usually his interactions have been from the safety of respective strollers or carriers.  How would this go?

As it turns out, really well!  The cousins got along as well as babies can; there was a lot of parallel play, and some closer-than-parallel play when they both went for the activity table at the same time.  (I wish I could share photos, but Thumper's cousin is not mine and I respect their privacy.)  There was a slight sharing issue; apparently, Thumper thought his cousin had the best taste in the world, because he immediately wanted to play with the same toy, puzzle piece, spot at the activity table, etc.  There was hardly any fighting, but they were like puppies, tumbling over one another.

And I have insane respect for anyone who dares take on more than one baby at once, whether it be through multiples or just having kids in quick succession (like my own mother did).  Talk about spinning plates.  Yeesh.  The Yeti and I are total agreement: if we have another baby (and the jury is still out on that) it won't be for some time yet, until Thumper is more toddler/little kid and less baby/toddler.  I know I can't delay that decision for forever, but it's really a moot point for probably another year, regardless.

Something funny from that trip: So Thumper's activity table is this one, which we love.  I chose it because it features a ball drop in the center, sort of like a pool table.  I wanted a table that had activities that were more than just pushing buttons, and this one fit the bill.  The only thing is that I wish the table had an option to only do lights, without sound, or maybe even just lights and the sound effects, instead of long, drawn-out songs, but we can't have everything.  Anyway, the table has a round dip in the middle, where the ball can spiral down like a wishing well.

When the cousins stood at the table together, my brother-in-law and I were both struck by the fact that the table reminded us of a TARDIS console from Doctor Who.  We talked about taking pictures of the kids and maybe photoshopping in some Doctor costumes, or the tall pillar in the center of the console, but didn't take pictures at that time.

The next day, the guys were out together and I was with my sister and the kids, and I realized one of the babies had taken the base of the light-up ring stacker and placed it in the center of the activity table.  They'd been trying to shove all manner of items down the hole for days, including ones that were much too big and unwieldy, but this one nestled into the dip perfectly.  More importantly, it looked startlingly like the TARDIS console pillar.  If the guys hadn't been gone I would have been convinced that one of them was playing a joke on me, but they were, and that isn't my sister's style.  So, apparently, the kids figured out how to build a TARDIS.

vworp vworp vworp

One more story for now, of the more personal, TMI variety: 

Before I even knew I was pregnant, sushi tasted wrong to me.  I actually thought I'd gotten a bad batch (and since I tested and found out pretty darn early, this means this was pretty much the minute I was pregnant).  The weirdness didn't go away; I hadn't intended to limit sushi consumption during pregnancy (I trust the place) but my tastebuds made it a moot point.  Most food tasted subpar while I was pregnant, actually.  After I had Thumper I tried sushi once or twice, but it still wasn't brilliant.  I wondered if it had been ruined for me forever.  

When my sister was here we grabbed dinner from the sushi place.  I hadn't tried it in a few months, and I was so surprised when it tasted just as I remembered it!  Finally, I could enjoy it again.  I told the Yeti, "I finally feel back to normal."  Which made sense; my body took a long time to make a baby, so maybe it needed time to bounce back.  

But I wondered if maybe it was more than that.  I still hadn't had a menstrual cycle since giving birth to Thumper, but for the past few months I'd been in "any day now" mode.  I'd had random, fleeting cramping, PMS-like grumpiness (mild, thankfully), and this seemed like yet another sign that my hormones were back in their pre-pregnancy mode.  

The day after my sister left, I started my period.  Perhaps being in Multiple Babies Mode jump-started my ovaries - though really, I would have thought they'd be cowering in fear.

The Airing of Grievances

The name of the game this holiday season is "behind schedule."  Maybe it's because I feel like last week was Thanksgiving since I had family visiting, but of course it was actually two weeks after Thanksgiving.  At any rate, here are but a few examples of the "a little late or maybe not at all" mentality we've got going on around here this year:

• Holiday cards.  For years I've been wanting to do one of those cutesy cards you create online and get printed out and they're just adorable, but could never talk the Yeti into it.  With Thumper, he's willing to take one for the team.  We even got our picture taken as a family, by someone else, in a place other than the toy-strewn living room and in clothes other than pajamas!  We just didn't actually get on doing any of this till about a week or so ago.  Now the cards are addressed, waiting to be stamped and sent, and we will buy stamps when Thumper wakes up from his nap.  Yes, they will be arriving after Christmas.  Since the card says "Happy Holidays" I figure it's still got a nice cushion of time before New Years. 
• Christmas tree.  I am not putting up our giant fake tree; there's no room with the baby paddock in the living room, plus I didn't want to use breakable ornaments this year anyway, and so on.  What I actually have been wanting is a small, white tree, and if I come across one I just might get it, but I have to drag myself out to find it and our Target - the only place I can really think of that might have one - is small, with a limited selection, so there's no guarantee.  In the meantime, I have put up some lights, the welcome sign, the stockings, and more, so it's not like we're not festive at all.  But speaking of stockings -
• Stocking for Thumper.  I've been driving myself crazy for over a month looking for a stocking that "said" Thumper to me.  I wanted it to be a little traditional, not too babyish, personalized, and fun, and I couldn't find anything that fit.  I probably put way too much importance on this, but my stocking from my first Christmas still lives at my mom's house and I kept thinking of it as a Big Decision.  Finally, as the clock ran out, I found the perfect stocking in an Etsy store and ordered it.  If it makes it here before Christmas it will be just barely. 

So there's a lot of last-minute going on but at the same time, I'm actually not stressing over it too much.  I know Thumper won't remember any of it and togetherness as a family is really most important.  In some ways I just consider it a dry run for time management in future years.  Oh, and speaking of a dry run: the Santa debacle.

We still aren't planning on perpetuating the Santa myth, but I hadn't given much thought about mall Santas.  Most kids don't believe those guys are Santa anyway, so I'm not particularly opposed, and there's some sheaf of Santa pics with my siblings and me at my mother's house, so there's tradition and nostalgia.  That being said, I still hadn't considered taking Thumper for a picture this year - just hadn't really thought about it - until both grandmothers started in on it in recent days.

So there I was, out looking for a stocking (unsuccessfully), and there's a Santa setup.  With no line.  It's just me and Thumper, and he's in a good mood, and I figure, well, why not give it a try?  He's been slowly coming out of his shy phase, and was fine when family was here, so maybe this will go well.

I started off sitting next to Santa, with Thumper on my knee.  I think the elf wanted me to edge Thumper slowly into frame next to Santa, but Santa wasn't having any of it.  "This guy won't fuss - he's just fine," he said, and convinced me to set Thumper on his knee and back away.  I don't know what I was thinking, but I went along with it.  It taught me an instant, early lesson about standing my ground when I know what's best for my kid.

Instant meltdown.  Sobbing, Thumper reaching frantically for me.  I took him back right away.  Santa, believe it or not, seemed offended.  "How old is he?  Usually they're fine until about age two," he said.

Seriously? "Uh, not this one," I said.  Naturally, a line had miraculously formed behind me and the other parents were giving us a look like, Your kid better not set off my kid.  I looked at the picture they snapped but it was terrible.  I'm not opposed to a funny crying pic - we actually have one from the photos we took for the Christmas card.  This was not that.  This was pitiful and sad.  And forty bucks.

At the time I said something like "Oh, ho ho, maybe I'll bring him back with his father and try again," but honestly I think that's all the Santa we need for this year.  We've got one cute crying holiday photo, one traumatic Santa experience, not at the same time, and we've reached the quota.

Speaking of holiday experiences I'm not into: am I the only one annoyed by the Target "What did you get?" commercial?  It basically promotes everything we want to downplay.  As adults, the gifts between the Yeti and I are usually thoughtful, fun, and small, and an experience we loved.  It was really annoying, though, getting grilled by friends and family about what loot we received or getting a pitying face when they heard it was just a few books or DVDs.  Thumper's going to be getting presents, but I hope that's not all he'll think of when he thinks of Christmas.

On the subject of Christmas commercials, this one's really good but chances are you will cry, so beware; and this one is my favorite.  I also like this one, cheesy as it is, and the latest offering here isn't bad (and I may be softhearted given the subject matter).  I'm always pulled out by that mom at the end, though, luxuriously stretching.  Like she'd be the last one up.

PS I'm having an issue with pictures as I swap computers, but I didn't want the blog to just sit till I got it worked out.  More pictures in the future!

Whoa, whoa, whoa

So this is a post about how time keeps sneaking past me.  This past month?  Gone in a flash!  But there are reasons for that - for example, one of my siblings (with family) is coming to visit next week, so even though I knew Thanksgiving was on its way, the REAL family get-together wasn't here yet.  And I have cleaning and organizing to do.   And so on.

But on a larger scale, I feel like one day I woke up and Thumper had gone from Tiny Baby to Near Toddler.  He's almost eleven months old, which is just a blink from being a year old.  He's not walking yet, but he's creeping along the edges of furniture, and standing on his own for a few seconds at a time.  We've had to block off parts of the living area with fences to create a baby paddock.  Basically, low-level toddling!  Crazy.

A week ago I looked around and realized that though Thumper has toys, they're all more of the baby variety and not particularly challenging anymore.  We even still have the soft collapsible activity gym out, though to be fair it's been stripped of toys and used more as a fort and balance bar for a few months.  So over the weekend we got an activity table and a shape-sorter (yes, I know Christmas is coming.  I also know there's no real point in waiting an extra month for something stimulating and besides, at this age it's probably better to dole out the toys a few at a time than in one overwhelming clump).

Yesterday I was sorting through Thumper's clothes, pulling out everything too small.   I went into the drawer where I stash the too-big clothing I bought in advance and realized he could now fit into a few pieces.  In fact, they were the only pieces left.  I'm officially out of clothing I bought in advance, because basically I wasn't sure how fast he would grow and I couldn't really visualize a baby that was over a year old or wearing clothing bigger than 18 months.  But now here I am, buying clothes in 12-18 months and the size after that is 2T.  T for toddler.

The other day I was at Target and looked at their Baby's First Christmas onesies.  Then I realized there was no point, because that brand runs small and they only stocked up to 9 months.  He's pretty much out of the baby section.

If it sounds like I'm sitting here with a glazed look of shock on my face it's because I am.  Probably because the last few weeks have been one reminder after another that time is flying, combined with the usual holiday tearjerker stuff.  But I'm not moping around like Albert from the Birdcage all the time, I promise.  Because there's no time!  Company is coming in a week!  Did I mention Thumper has a cousin almost exactly the same age?  I'm actually really excited and can't wait for the double trouble.

Though I don't know why I bother with impatience, since apparently I just need to sneeze and the week will have flown by already.