The people that got us through

I know I wasn’t going to write about sleeping stuff anymore, but this one is just way too exciting. For the first time Pickle laid down on the ground on his own. Normally he will play and play and play until we pick him up and put him in the bed. Of course he was fingering a book on the coffee table and promptly pulled it off onto his head, but little strides people! Also, when I put him in bed for naptime he lie quietly and fell asleep without crying or making a move to rock. This is a huge accomplishment for our little man.

We did get out this morning to take a trip to the children’s store. CS was sent out for diapers yesterday afternoon and they didn’t have the good ones in Pickle’s size at the little grocery. So this morning we bundled up the baby and headed out for a walk. When we got downstairs the babushkas at the front desk made it a point to note that it was cold and windy outside. So I put the hood up on his little jacket and we headed out the door. While at the children’s store we purchased a little stocking cap for him. When we got back to the apartment we made it a point to not take the cap off until we were right in front of the babushka. HA!!! We showed you evil Russian lady.

Pickle is still testing his mother’s patience. We have gotten sleep time down pretty well, but food time is altogether difficult. He likes to try to play with the stove to which he gets pushed away and a firm NYET! He tries to open the cupboards and play with the garbage can. He tries to pull out his chair or grab a bib and put it on when the food is not finished yet. All of which get the nyet response. He frequently gets herded out of the kitchen. This is met by faky tantrums. Then of course he gets held and rocked resulting in more tantrums. He will finally calm down and head straight back for the kitchen to make sure the rules are still the same.

When it comes time to feed him he will drink his milk or yogurt and then play with his meal. He is fully capable of feeding himself and turns his head away when we try to feed him. So we have started ignoring him for the most part at meal time. He will play with his spoon; try to rub it on the wall, chews on the end of it. Just to make sure the rules are still the same.

I tell you the boy learns quick. He knows where the changing pad is and goes to the cupboard to tell me to get it if he makes a poopy. This is the only time I use the changing pad. He knows where his shoes and jacket are. We have to keep all the shoes put away. If we get them out he wants to wear them and wearing them means we are going outside. He knows how to open the drawer with his toys in it, but if you don’t pull it from the left side is won’t open. So he tries to pull it from the right side knowing it won’t open then looks at one of us and says, “mo-mo.” This is help me. We tell him he knows how to do it then he fusses.

He is also learning that if he bonks his head or hurts himself that we will comfort him. He biffed it big time when he tripped over the threshold from the hall into the living room. Whacked his head right on the floor. Nice rug burn and bump from that one. He cried quite loudly after that. He also cried when he pulled that book onto his head. These are all very good things.

Pickle is getting better at the names of people in his family book. We are going to have a challenge though with Daddy vs. Papa. CS’s dad is Papa to our niece Bethany, but we are still kinda calling CS Papa. And Duda Mike… did you know that in Norwegian you would be MorFar? That would mean Mother’s Father. And Mom you would be MorMor. So it is up to you Duda or Morfar?

Pickle’s other favorite thing to do is to wear our shoes around the apartment. Oddly enough, he started with my flip flops. Then he moved to Daddy’s slippers, then Daddy’s shoes. Trust me I have photos. Oh, and we also have photos of him sitting in a bin with his legos.

The weather here is much like that at home in mid to late October. Cloudy, windy and cold. We get a rain shower on occasion. And when it rains it pours! Of course the cooler weather is nice for ridding the apartment of the stuffiness in here. Gassy boys and closed up apartment make for a pleasant experience.

Well… better run. Pickle just got up after only sleeping for an hour. I must prepare myself for a baby full of piss and vinegar later.