Learning, what a beautiful thing

There is a lot of learning happening. You are into climbing on everything. The sofa, chairs (into standing position !), up and down the stairs, etc. Pretty amazing to see you pull yourself up like that.

You are starting to follow directions really well. When I ask you, "where is your drink/milk" you go and get your sippy cup from wherever you left it; "go get another book to read," you know to go to the book shelf and grab another book; "come sit next to Mama to read," you come and sit next to me; "where is the elephant?" and you find it out of all your other stuffed animals. It's awesome to see you process that information and make the connection. Your response to "No" is another story. You are still testing the waters in that area. Sometimes you listen to "No, let's not go upstairs," but most often you do it anyway. The funny thing is you are starting to say "no" to things yourself: "are you ready to get out of the bath?" "No." "Do you want another bite?" "No." It's pretty cute, especially the way you say it.

Flying around the house

running around the house with the fly swaper - now that's fun!

Sunday Morning Bliss

Playing hard. Working on puzzles. Riding the old horse. Sun is streaming in. Plenty of sleep for everyone. Cool morning air. Full of possibilities. Maybe the pool. Maybe going out to lunch. Fresh pasta from the farmers market. Sweet, local tomatoes.

I am afraid to take him to the hair dresser. Afraid they will cut off all his hair, or that he will look too grown up, too official. That innocent head of hair. So I started cutting it myself last night, nervously. It turned out OK, definitely "unprofessional" but sweet. I know he and I will only get away with that for a little while longer. So I better enjoy it.

At the playground

too eventful for words

The thought of putting it all into words is exhausting, plus I am still recovering from it myself. It's one of those things you want to just forget about asap and pretend like it never happened. A quick summary - happy miles goes to bed Tuesday night. One hour later wakes up with horrendous sounding cough, and hardly able to breath. You gasp for air while I hook you up to the nebulizer we got a month earlier during a wheezing episode. I quickly realize that this is more than wheezing. You looked at me scared and confused and crying. I was scared, confused and crying. I knew this wasn't good. We thought you might be having a bad allergic reaction, maybe to sesame seeds which were in a chicken dish we had for dinner, or eggs which you had that day as well. We drove to the ER where they immediately took care of you. They hooked you up to a nebulizer (we had to hold you down as you were screaming) and gave you a steroid shot to relax the airways. Diagnosis - Croup (virus causing the upper airways to swell). They sent us home 6 hours later at 3:00am. You slept without a problem through the night. The next day you seem almost normal, playful and interactive. After another normal night, we decided to take you to daycare. I picked you up early that day and immediately noticed on the way home that you were breathing loud and fast. I timed your breathing - about 50 times a minute. The doctor said to bring you back if you breath 40 times a minute. Also, your ribs were contracting when breathing. Another bad sign. So we go back to the ER as it was after five already. The virus seemed to have moved down into your lungs causing the wheezing. They hooked you up to an IV and you had to use the nebulizer again (with albuterol) now every two hours throughout the night. Then every three, then every four until we got to go home nearly 24 hours later... It was heartbreaking seeing you in your little hospital gown on the IV and with the nebulizer mask. At some point you got so restless we took you for a walk down the hall rolling the IV stand behind you. The whole thing was horrible and seemed like a nightmare. It scared me to death.

We are all at home now, recovering from the hardest parenting experience yet. You seem to be yourself already again. I overheard the nurses in the hospital saying that these things are often worst for the parents than the kids. I know what she meant.

Now, we have had some fun over here too. Last weekend we got out the finger paints!

Plus, you walk ALL the time now.