One Year Photo Shoot

[Click for larger versions] 

These aren't the high quality versions. 

If you want digital copies, let me know and I'll email them. 

Just Your Typical Saturday

David is working in the kitchen today-- painting, painting, painting-- so I'm on Evan duty all day.


Junkyard Kid
The main benefit (for Evan) of the kitchen remodel is the few very large boxes we were able to snag. Here he is in his cardboard box house playing with his "rattle" made from a water bottle and some jingle bells I found in my craft supplies.

Cereal Explosion
The cardboard house bought me a few minutes of me-time and gave me the confidence to slip away to clean the bathroom while Evan played House. Mid-toilet scrubbing, I heard "Evan! What are you doing?!" I rush to the living room to find out that the cardboard box had lost his interest.

All of our common use food is currently being stored on the shelves in the living room-- including the cereal. I thought I had them blocked off with kitchen chairs so Evan couldn't reach them. I thought wrong. At least he chose his cereal. I should've videoed instead of taking stills. The high pitched squeals of joy as he mashed those Crispix into the carpet and then scraped the crumbs from his hands with his teeth were priceless. I believe this incident officially made him Laika's BFF.

A New Game of Ball
When I looked up from a few minutes of peace and quiet, I saw that Evan had created a new game for himself. One by one, he was taking the plastic balls and throwing them into the kitchen. He did this for at least 10 minutes. David came home from his errands and was like, "Um... why are there balls all over the kitchen?" So, I pointed at Evan and said, "He did it!" like any self-respecting adult would.

And that was all before noon. While we were eating lunch, I noticed he was being quiet-- which I assumed meant he was covertly feeding his lunch to Laika. I looked over to see him completely passed out in his high chair. Exciting morning, I guess. 

Swim Lessons

Evan started swim lessons today.

Only one parent was allowed in the pool with each kid so I gave David first dibs. Evan liked the water a lot. First they played Ring Around the Rosie (sorta), then they kicked a little and then they got a toy and the parents helped them "swim" after it. Given a basket full of cool starfish and jellyfish and other fun characters, Evan picked a dolly.

After that (11 minutes into the lesson) another baby puked in the pool and everyone had to get out so they could collect the puke and add chemicals to the pool. Lesson over. It took us longer to get there then they spent in the pool. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. 

Evan and his dolly

Randomness

We got the official transfer paperwork last week. Evan's transitioning to the pre-toddler room (1-2 year olds) on the 16th with unofficial trial periods next week. I'm certain the transition will go just fine. A lot of his older friends will be in the new room. We'll miss the infant room, but it's very evident that it's time for him to make the move. He officially has three other babies that cry when he gets near him. Last Thursday, we got a report that he was "playing a little rough" with the other babies. Then on Friday, David was told this:

"Evan wanted to play with Alaina. Except, Alaina is 6 months old and doesn't know how to play. So, Evan pushed her down and then proceeded to bang her head on the ground." 

Obviously, Alaina is one of the babies that cries when Evan heads her way.

Evan with Ms. Linda and Ms. Betty

Evan with Ms. Elizabeth

[Funny side story about these three. Our conversation after David walked in during bath time. Evan saw him and smiled a huge grin:

David: "I love it when he sees me and smiles. He's like, "Hey, I know you...""
Me: "Yeah, or, "Oh no, you just caught me being a turd. Maybe if I smile real cute-like you won't notice.""
David (ignoring my obnoxious comment): "It makes me feel like he likes me and he's happy to see me. Like, I'm at least in his top 5 favorite people."
Me: "Yeah, it's Ms. Betty, Ms. Elizabeth, Ms. Linda, and then us." 
David: "Still, top 5."

I agree, it's nice to at least be in the top 5.]

Some fun news about his new room though. It's VERY structured. Scheduled meals and nap times. No bottles or pacifiers (hopefully this will be our chance to get rid of it for good-- we're currently down to only while in the crib.) [That wasn't the "fun" stuff, by the way, just some facts.] They're super structured with activities and learning. He'll be busy all day. He'll start learning sign language immediately. Good thing we've been working with him on the signs that the infant room gave us... oh wait, we haven't. Doh! And Wednesdays are Water Day! We have to take him in swim clothes and they play outside with sprinklers in the morning. Presumably this stops in the fall. It's going to be so much fun. He should be way less bored.

And maybe the new room will give us some activities to play at home because this kid is easily bored and we are not nearly entertaining enough. It's so hot outside so walking, swinging and visiting parks are out. Even swimming isn't any fun anymore. The other day, I filled the pool up in the morning and covered it with a plastic shower curtain to keep the bugs out while it warmed up. This combo caused the water to be 110 degrees (seriously, we measured it) at 5:30 when I went to put him in. I had to empty half of it and add cold hose water. When it's a million degrees out, he doesn't get very excited about swimming. He's just hot...and apparently thirsty because he tries to drink the pool water.

"Splash, splash... boring, boring..." 

"This water tastes different than sippy cup water... and bathwater."

I attempt to take him out and about to alleviate the boredom but the problem with that is the "out" part. I find myself sitting in the car after it's parked (but still running), making assessments of where my purse is, if I have everything I need and how quickly I can get him out of his car seat before the heat hits. It's like reverse wintertime except the car stays a tolerable temperature for about 1/10th of a second. And then getting back in the scorching hot car. Ugh. Sometimes it's just easier to sit around the house and listen to him whine with boredom. 

'Cause he's really bored with our house and his toys. 

So he takes his pants off...

And climbs through our furniture. 

Sometimes we have brilliant ideas to occupy him for a few minutes. Like giving him a balloon. Do you have any idea what an eleven month old with a balloon will do to your nerves? Do you know what an eleven month old wants to do to a balloon? Squeeze it with his razor sharp fingernails and bite it with his piranha-like teeth. 

Believe it or not, no balloons were harmed in the taking of these photographs. 

Sometimes he can still be entertained with the jumper. But only for about 5 minutes. 

And only if bribed with Fruit Loops.

And, they still like doing this. Again, for about 5 minutes. 

Because we're good parents, we've attempted to get him interested in the TV but he's just not into it. It's a good thing, but what I wouldn't give for an easy solution like that while I get some dishes done. 

Another bit of randomness, Sirius has a Pink Floyd channel running right now. We play it a lot while we're just hanging around the house. It warms my heart to see Evan start rocking out to my favorites. And, we like to tell him creepy things like, "You heard this song in concert when you were a fetus. Do you remember when we went to San Francisco when you were the size of a peanut?" 

I'm cherishing these moments though because I know it won't be long before he's listening to crap music. I really hope we can prevent that by filling our house and car with good music. 

Fancy, Expensive Toys

Evan plays with the Number 2 Best Toy of All Time:

His Middle Name is Danger

David and I signed three accident reports in the past two weeks.

Daycare has a baby swimming pool filled with balls-- a makeshift ball pit. Evan was climbing out and skidded his face across the linoleum floor. That got him a good floor burn which turned into a bruise by his right eyebrow. 

Note the bruise at the end of his right brow.
Don't note that he's covered in cracker crumbs. 

I was working in Evan's daycare building last week when Ms. Elizabeth came after me with a paper in her hand. Evan had reached for something while standing at the book rack, fell and banged his forehead. It was bad... bad enough that they didn't let him sleep for two hours after that one. 

It looks like a little mark, but it's really a big knot.
Again, don't note that he's covered in grape juice. 

Then, he was standing in the doorway and fell into the door frame, resulting in a red slash above his left eye. I didn't even take a picture of that. 

I just can't keep up with this kid. I keep thinking maybe I need to take him to the doctor to make sure he doesn't have that thing that football and hockey players get from too many blows to the head.

I can't say he's particularly sad about it though...

Assisted Walking

But, he's still smart enough to know his fastest mode of transportation...