Oscar's Odyssey

Little Leprechaun

2010-03-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that last year, I was able to pose my kid and take little cutesy snap shots of him. Well, as much hassle as all that was, I am sure glad I did it. There is NO WAY I could get him to do that now. Not a chance. Here is a bit of a look back...

Okay, seriously? Couldn't you just eat him up with a spoon?!? Well, his hat fits him a little better this year! Take a look at my baby now. He isn't so much a baby any more though...

Yeah, no cute rainbow backdrop for this boy. I literally had to chase him around the house for 20 minutes just to get a picture of him. So, a happy St. Patty's Day to you!

Caught on Video

2010-03-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

I know it seems like I'm only posting videos of this kiddo, but it seems like lately I can't get him to slow down long enough for my shutter speed to catch him. He is constantly in a state of motion. So, here are two more fun little glimpses into the life of my funny kiddo.

Here is Oscar learning how to blow his nose... (Mom has been sick lately, so he has been fascinated with what I've been doing with a tissue. Pretty gross, really. He seems to think it is hilarious.)

And here is a typical day with Oscar engrossed in a book. Right before I turned the camera on, he was busy "reading" the front cover and saying letters (or the letters he "knows" - which would be "e" and "r" - basically, every letter becomes one or the other...). I'm pretty happy that he recognizes that there are letters and that they form words, though. That's a pretty big concept for such a small person!

Some Video

2010-03-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

Here is Oz calling me by my first name... Oh I'm so proud.

And here is Oscar being VERY serious about his Cheerios.

And here is the "Kitty Poppie." Just so you know, there is not always litter spewn all over the floor. Thanks, Tim. Letting down on your job, buddy.

This Time Last Year...

2010-02-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

My little cupid.

What I didn't know...

2010-02-05T17:34:00.000-08:00

I had no idea. I better get Oscar started on Dr. Pepper soon. I don't want him to be socially inept. (Thanks Ruthie for sending me these Mad Men-esque ads - hilarious!)

New Fave

2010-02-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

Here is my newest favorite Oscar picture... We like to play "peek-a-boo" with blankets, except his hair is never the same after a session of this!

Fat Lip Fridays

2010-01-29T23:30:00.000-08:00

Well, this lip is almost healed now, but I thought it needed to be documented. It was quite a douzy - this photo doesn't do it justice. I'm no fan of blood and this was a gusher. The scenario? We were playing in the nursery and Oz ran to me, tripping over his stick horse and doing a face-plant into his big yellow truck. Awesome. If he could cuss, he would have.

Boo-Beep-Boop-Bot

2010-01-29T21:11:00.000-08:00

I feel it necessary to report the cuteness that is my son. Oz will now answer to "What sound does the robot make?" He says "Beep-Boop-Bot." This is yet another reason why he is the coolest kid on earth.

(pictured is the bot I made for him for his birthday...)

Little Man

2010-01-20T10:21:00.000-08:00

Oh geez. Are you for real?!? Is Oscar really 16 months old today? Crazy. I can't believe how fast time flies by. And I also cannot believe how grown up my baby is already! (Here is a recent pic of him wearing his daddy's hat - something he loves to do.) Oz is talking up a storm lately. I've been keeping track of all his words so far, on our calendar (I jot down new ones practically every day). I'm constantly amazed at his grasp on the world around him and how he relates to it and studies it. It's almost like a reawakening for me too, as I see the world through his tiny blue eyes.

Here is the running list of his words, in no particular order. And I'm sure I'm leaving some out...

momma, daddy, poppa, diva, Andy, wow, choo-choo, ball, clean (as in "clean-up"), car, truck, yay!, kitty (or "cat," depending on his mood), meow, dog, woof-woof, ducky, quack, cow, moo, horse, nay-nay, (multiple types of growls), help, cookie, cheese, cheer (as in cheerio), glue-glue (for goldfish), go (as in Go Dogs Go), milk, cuckoo, clock, tick-tock, cold, hot, hat, sharp, cool, star, heart, circle, oval, block, thank-you, Jesus, light, night-night, Sean (our landlord), all-done, more, trash, stuck, bag, goal (said with great gusto - Andy taught him this one), apple, muffin, bread, bawk-bawk (for chicken), hat, shoe, sock, shirt, pants, jeans, monkey, ohhohh-ahhahh, pig, tree, flower, wee-wee (for "This little piggy" song), pop, sizzle (the "Popcorn" song), hi, hello, bye-bye, beep-beep, baby, read, book, blue, green, yellow (his favorite word right now!), red, pink, orange (or something that SORT-OF sounds like that), oh-no, uh-oh, ta-dah, I do, vacuum, yucky, better, mango, straw (for strawberry), can (for cantaloupe), potty, poo-poo, pee-pee, mean, chair, couch, pillow, tunnel, spoon, paper, belly, teeth, nose, eyes, mouth, toes, feet, blow, hun-gree (hungry), mad (said after he huffs a few times - too funny), Babar, Max (for his Where the Wild Things Are doll), Bob (he calls ANY construction worker this name), Big Bird, Suzy (I'm not thrilled about that one...), down, towel, Cactus (is what we've named his bouncy horse)

Okay, by my count, that is over 120 words. Can we say "child prodigy" here?!? Ha! Well, maybe not, but the average amount for an 18 month old boy is 40 words. Did I mention that Oz is 16 months old today?!?

Autumn

2010-01-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

So, I forgot to post this. Better late than never!

So Sleepy

2010-01-06T14:50:00.000-08:00

This video makes me die laughing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

15 Months Old

2009-12-17T11:01:00.000-08:00

Here's my sweet hunny bee... It's been a while since I've posted what my little man is up to, so I figured I'd give you readers a glimpse.

Oz is now almost a whopping 15 month old (a few days to go), which is getting closer and closer to a year and a half! And that is just crazy. He literally learns something new every day. I really am constantly amazed at seeing the world through his tiny blue eyes. He makes me laugh so hard sometimes at the wacky things he does or says. His newest word is "trash" as he is fascinated by all the receptacles we have in our household. (Have you ever counted all the trash cans in your house? It's quite an interesting thing to do and it makes me feel rather lazy that I'd rather just have a trash can in every room than to have to get up and take my trash somewhere else. Hmm.) Oscar loves to walk up to the trash cans and point and say the first syllable of the word "trash" and make me do the "sh" part. He thinks it is hilarious.

Because Christmas is a week away, we've been reading Christmassy stories to him and I have our nativity out. I hold up the different people / animals / whatnot and tell him about what each piece is. I also do sound effects, just so you know. So far, Oscar's favorite pieces are the cow, the lamb, baby Jesus, and the inn keeper. All the other characters he could care less about. I love the way he tries to say "Jesus," too. It is beyond cute.

Oscar also does animal noises. He just learned how to do a goldfish sound. It's kind of a "glue-glue" sound. Now, every time he sees a fish, you can count on that noise coming from him. To date, he does multiple types of roars and growls (lions, dinosaurs, bears, etc.), meows, barking, naying, mooing, hooting (owls), chirping, and quacking. But my favorite noise Oscar does is whenever he sees the moon in pictures or books. He howls! It started after we got this one Sandra Boyton book about dogs and now he does it all the time. It is bizarre and adorable.

Gone are the days of crawling, by the way. This kid is full speed ahead and runs nearly all of the time. I pity our downstairs neighbors because we have a long hallway that Oscar LOVES to run in. It has to be pretty obnoxious for them. I pity our "kitties" too. Oscar runs at them both and tries to tackle them. They are not amused by this. He has been scratched many times due to his abundant enthusiasm.

Gone are the days of docile submission, too, unfortunately. This boy has an opinion and is not afraid to share it. If he wants something, he will let you know. (Which can be good and also very bad.) Example : you may have thought he didn't see you hide the Cheerios, but get ready to hear a chorus of "Chee! Chee!" for the next 20 minutes. Also, if you go into his room empty-handed after he wakes up from his nap, be prepared to hear him yelp "Meh! Meh!" (for "milk") and work his hands like he is milking an udder. Nice. At least it is obvious what he wants and it is something I can take care of. I taught him to say "help" too, for when he gets way frustrated at not being able to do something by himself. That was a stroke of mommy genius, if I do say so myself. And I was so proud when I taught him the motions to the song "When you're happy and you know it" and seeing him stomp his feet. Well, now the feet stomping is also part of the temper tantrums when Mommy doesn't let Oscar play with electric sockets. Awesome.

In spite of the bad (and there has been a LOT of bad lately as Oscar just got two new teeth down on the bottom rack - bringing up his total to eight), there have been some serious cuddle times and blowing kisses and all sorts of niceties. And I guess that is what parenting is all about. (But I have to be honest and say that I wish this boy's grandparents lived closer because this momma needs a drop-off for melting point days!) On that note, I hear a little voice calling for his "mama" to bring him some "meh!"

Monthly Birthdays

2009-11-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Oscar turned 14 months old. Crazy! He is such a force to be reckoned with now!

Well I was working on finishing up his "baby" book (which is something I'm determined to do before he turns 2) and got to the birthday page. Oscar had multiple birthday parties - we decided that since we waited so long for our special little man, that we'd celebrate him monthly and all the changes and growth he went through. So, we tried to take a picture of him in the same chair every month to show how much he changed in his first year. It's pretty dramatic, if you really look at the pictures! He went from laying in the chair, to sitting by himself, to us having to hold him in the chair, then to not allowing us to put him in the chair at all (see bottom corner - eleven months)! Oh, how my baby has grown.

So, the first picture (top left) is Oz after his first week out (of me, that is). We celebrated it with his Diva and Poppa. He was so tiny that we had to put him in his bouncy chair for this shot. The next one (directly to the right) was when he turned one month old. I made some cupcakes to celebrate and stuck a plastic rubber duck with a one on it on top. (Thus the monthly cupcake series began - bad for my waistline, but whatever. It's a celebration.) Poor Oz never got any cupcakes. Maybe this is why he didn't enjoy his first birthday cake at all. That would be daddy's fault. He didn't want an early sugar addict.

The next pic (top middle, toward the right) was his second month birthday. This is when Oscar started smiling and becoming more of his sweet little self. The third month birthday (top far right) was a big one as you can probably tell. He has shock and awe written all over his face! This was celebrated with the Bennetch clan - cousin Emma, Aunt Becky, Uncle Andy, Diva and Poppa. He didn't realize that he comes from such party animals! Birthday number four (far left, second row) was a cowboy party because we got a cute hat and teeny tiny boots for him. This was about the time Oz started on solid foods. Number five (far right, second row) was a Sesame Street party. We thought it was appropriate because Oscar started getting fascinated with Cookie Monster. He LOVED whenever we'd talk like Cookie Monster. It cracked him up. Weird, I know.

When he turned six months (far left, third down), we had a Dr. Seuss party for him because he started getting into the Dr. Seussish board books (written by Eastman) like "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb." I could read that book to him a million times and he'd want it again. This boy LOVES being read to. We did a luau party for Oz for his seventh month (far right, third down) because it was spring and getting warmer (and Mommy wanted to). This boy was all over the place by seven months! It was seriously hard to keep him sitting in his chair at this point. We had a mishap during this photo shoot. Oz jumped out of his chair to get at a cupcake (in his defense, they looked incredible - I mean, who wouldn't want one?!?) and neither one of us caught him in time. He got a big bruise on his noggin and the photo shoot promptly ended.

At eight months old (bottom left corner), we had a pirate birthday party for Oscar. This was a fun party because we had Jeremy and Christie visiting with their two little ones, Luke and Julianne. Jules is about a half a year older than Oz, so he had fun playing with her. Dad made a giant paper and cardboard box boat for Oscar to play in, too. He thought it was great. Nine months (bottom left, middle) was another big birthday for Oz as my family was visiting again. This time it was Emma, Becky, Jerry, and Andy that were here to celebrate with us. Emma and Oscar were not firemen, they were "fire people."

When ten and eleven months rolled around, Oscar was a full fledged WALKER and was no longer interested in sitting still for pictures, so as you can see, those were a big challenge! He had a monkey celebration for ten months (bottom middle, to the right) which was perfect because he literally acted like a monkey at that point. He was climbing up everything he could and getting into all sorts of Curious Georgesque trouble. We found a clip-on monkey tail that drove him bananas, but I got some hilarious pictures of Tim tossing him up in the air with that monkey tail flapping in the wind. Month eleven (bottom right corner) was a dinosaur theme because Oz had just started growling. And yes, we lost the chair battle. His growl was just too fierce.

Finally, Oscar's twelve month / one year birthday party (center) was a grand celebration, attended by lots of people that adore him. We were so lucky to have so much family there to celebrate it! He had both sets of grandparents, Uncle Andy (dressed as an Indian, even), Ms. Mary (Mommy's dear friend from the library), our good friends Brandon and Emily, and Oscar's favorite playmates Katherine and Christina with their parents Wing and Deb. Oscar was beside himself and was more interested in playing with his buddies than with taking pictures and eating his first cake. It was a fun day, though. We celebrated it cowboy style as Oscar's most favorite book then was Cowboy Small by Lois Lenski.

I love that this mosaic of pictures tells so many stories about who Oscar is and the journey of him getting there. It's not streamlined, but neither is life and neither are we! But it is a great representation of our first year as Oscar's parents and of our amazing little man.

Favorite Baby Stuff

2009-11-21T11:34:00.001-08:00

I just send my buddy Rach (who is due in early January) this list of items that I loved using with Oscar, like things I don't want to be without as our family expands (eventually, that is) and I figured it would probably be good to put the list here, so I'll always remember it. These are baby products that I think every mom should have. Most of these are convenience items and not necessities, but they sure made my life easier and when you are going through sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion, isn't that just what you need?!?

Here is my list of my top ten favorite baby stuff:

"Miracle Blanket" - This is not to be confused with other snugly wraps, because this one doesn't have any Velcro that could wake your sleepy baby. There is nothing worse than getting your baby ready for a nap and having that messed up by that crinkling sound (which really seemed to piss Oz off).
"Jolly Jumper" - There are lots of these on the market, but none are as good as the real "Jolly Jumper." Oscar is long and lean, so the Jolly Jumper was a good fit because the other kinds are just really wide. We had trouble finding one and finally ended up ordering it on eBay. I had another kind before we got the Jolly Jumper and I had to wrap blankets around Oz to keep him sitting upright! Oz really loved his. He would jump to his heart's content. I think that is why he was such an early walker, too.
Sling - These come in all shapes and sizes. Even the best baby has days when he will just want to be close to you and want to be held...the sling is the best way to go because you can still use your hands. I really liked the "Maya wrap" type of sling and Tim like the Baby Bjorn (I got one for $1!).
Bouncy Chair - These are great because you can pop your baby in it while you take a shower. It's ridiculous how much I used mine. Sometimes, it was the only place Oscar would nap. Mine had a vibrating thing in it that really soothed him.
Activity Play Mat - Before baby starts to crawl, this is great thing to play on. Most babies don't like tummy time, but this helped Oz. It is like a padded mat that has a dangly bar with toys hanging down.
A Pump - This was indeed a lifesaver. I didn't make enough milk at first, so I used this to help build a supply. If you do it right, it helps trigger your body into producing more. Plus it was nice to let Tim be able to feed the baby sometimes, especially at the beginning when you're feeding every 3-4 hours! That gets exhausting. I got a Medela "On the Go" pump that usually goes for $300+ online for $50 bucks. (You just need to replace the hoses and bottles, which is easy if you buy a good brand.)
LOTS of burp cloths. Enough said.
A Boppy Pillow - This was always with me. It's way versatile, too. I got mine at a tag sale and just washed it and bought slip covers.
A Bumbo Chair - These are pricey, but Oscar didn't fit into his high chair until he was around 8 months old. And we started giving him solids at 4 months, so I used the Bumbo SO much! I got a little tray that attached, so it worked really well.
Pack'n'Play - Someone gave us their old baby bassinet, which was nice to have, but Oscar outgrew it before we moved him into his own room. The Pack'n'Play was nice to have because it came with a bassinet attachment that we used for a long time while he was still in the room with us. Also, whenever we travel, it becomes his crib. We STILL use it.

2009-10-06T14:42:00.000-07:00

***We interrupt our usual cutesy pictures and sweetness and light that normally appears on this blog for a truly horrific and somewhat ironic scene that this mommy wishes she had the presence of mind to have photographed...***

Enter Mommy.

(She sees, on stage left, standing in crib, young Oscar. Oscar is making squawking sounds and has been for approximately 20 minutes. Mommy has left Oscar alone for this amount of time, hoping beyond all hope that young Oscar will eventually fall asleep, as it is currently his nap time.)

Mommy then gasps in confusion, amazement, repulsion, and humor. She is still speechless, however.

(Camera pans the scene. See young Oscar squawking. He is wearing only a t-shirt. T-shirt is green and says "100% good 10% of the time." Camera then scans to find missing pants and, more importantly, missing diaper. Camera stops on missing items and zooms in on missing diaper, which has been freely thrown out of crib. Diaper is encrusted with poop. There is so much poop that a giant turd is laying halfway out of diaper, onto the carpet.)

Mommy sighs in disbelief at the situation. Then gags as she notices her son is also standing in a puddle of pee and that her son has, in fact, peed EVERYWHERE.

So much for nap time.

***End scene.***

Happy Birthday!

2009-10-04T06:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I have finally finished working on all the birthday pictures for Oscar's first birthday. It truly was a beautiful day. Watch the video of it!

I still cannot believe I have a one year old. It's wild. And it seems like every day he learns something new. This kiddo is amazing to watch. He is already starting to try to say things like the "ch" sound for "cheese" and "cheerios" - his favorite foods. He mimics back words like "cool" and "good" and points to and says things he knows like "kitty," "tree," and "car." He walks like a champ now, putting his hands at his side instead of holding them out for balance. He can even bend down to pick things up off the floor. It's hilarious to see this little person walking around everywhere. And he loves his play date buddies Katherine (3 yrs. old) and Christina (16 months) - he gave Christina a kiss last night even! He is already starting to stack blocks, which is a 16 month milestone, and he is fascinated with how things work. I love to watch him study things.

Oscar is growing like a weed. He is now over 30 inches tall and weighs a little under 20 pounds. He is eating better, too. He is "tolerant" of chunky food blends and loves crunchy things he can sink his teeth into. He just got his 6th tooth. He gets half and half of cow's milk and formula and just had his first taste of beef jerky. (He is just like his daddy where it comes to beef jerky.) Maybe soon, we might start practicing with a spoon... and yes, I've invested in a "splat mat."

Oscar really is starting to develop a personality, too. He is very opinionated and expressive about his likes and dislikes! He likes some lovies better than others, like his "Lambie" and his bear and just recently, he has taken a liking to Big Bird, which is just plain funny. At night he is even picky about which books he prefers to be read to. If he doesn't like the book you're reading him, he will reach to the back of it and close it. But if he DOES like the book, he will snuggle down onto your lap and clap after you finish reading it! But my favorite thing he does now is the way he expresses his love... He is a hugger. He stops in the middle of playing and walks up and gives a great big hug or lays his head on my lap. And it makes me melt to pieces. Gosh, I love this kid!

Happy birthday, Oscar!

Happy Birthday!

2009-09-20T19:31:00.001-07:00

New Family
Originally uploaded by peachicken

Sweet Oscar, today I remember the day you were born... and CELEBRATE! I cannot even believe a whole year has gone by and you are a walking / talking little person who has all sorts of opinions and curiosities. Today, as I held your hand while we walked through a grassy field, it was all I could do to just catch my breath. You are my pride and joy. I'm so happy to be your momma.

Last year at about this time, I remember being sick with anticipation (and pain - yes) about your arrival. I wondered at the person you'd become and who you'd look like, what your favorite things would be and if I'd be a good mom to you. Baby, I couldn't have asked for a sweeter, smarter, and more handsome little guy! I love that smile you get when I walk into the room - like I'm the only person in the whole world! And I love the way you walk, with confidence that would conquer the world. I love the way you point and say things that you know ("mom-mom" "dada" "kitty" "tree" "car"). I love the silence and enrapture that overtakes you when I read you a book. I love your giddy cuteness when I sing songs with you or we make funny sounds together. I love when you want to "share" your food with me, even if it's something I'd never eat on purpose (egg yolk). I even love that you are opinionated on your likes and dislikes - and can now vocalize it! You've come such a long way and grown so much in just one year. I can't wait to see what the next year will bring.

I love you, my little toddler!

First Haircut

2009-09-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

Oscar had his very first haircut yesterday! He did so well. I had this mommy fear that he would freak out and scream when someone came at him with a buzzing clipper thingy, but he was so interested in the little blue car he was sitting in and it's silver steering wheel, that he was cool with some strange (but friendly) Hispanic lady touching his head. She did a great job with him, too. He didn't squirm too much and she oohed and ahhed over him and made him feel comfortable with the situation. It was a twenty dollar haircut (for someone without much hair), but I'd totally go back again in a heartbeat, if anything just to let Oz sit at the cool hair cutting chairs. Maybe next time he can sit in the red airplane or the yellow taxi cab!

Wordless Wednesday pt. 2

2009-08-19T20:00:00.001-07:00

scan0102
Originally uploaded by Momma B

And this? (Also Baby Suzy...)

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-19T19:59:00.001-07:00

scan0060
Originally uploaded by Momma B

And who does this look like?!? (This is baby Suzy.)

I've got rhythm...

2009-08-06T17:11:00.001-07:00

He Walks!

2009-08-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

So I realize this isn't the best picture I've ever taken or anything - much of that has to do with the fact that my camera takes awful indoor shots - but I wanted to share some of our excitement in these first few weeks of shaky steps. This was taken the day that Oscar first took a few steps on his very own, on July 13th (I just now got it off my camera... bad mommy!). I LOVE the expression on Tim's face. He is such a wonderful daddy. This is true joy and love and excitement for his little mini me. Lately, as Oscar gets braver and braver, I really am seeing more and more of his daddy's fearless "Spiderman" mentality. Yesterday, Oscar climbed up onto a chair for the first time, all by himself. As you can see, this is why my blogging has been scarce!

Some other new things Oscar is doing is talking. He loves to drop things and say uh-oh now. Except he doesn't say the "oh" part. It's ridiculously cute. He growls and grunts and scrunches up his nose too. And when he tries to laugh along with you, he ends up sounding like he is panting. It makes me laugh even harder. And he loves to play keep away. He will chase you down until he is exhausted. Then he tackles you, lays his head on your chest and looks up at you with his giant blue eyes. And then he smiles.

I have the coolest kid in the world. Now, if I could just get a better camera!

Baby Boy

2009-07-30T13:10:00.001-07:00

Anatomy of a Burp
Originally uploaded by peachicken

Oh wow. I can't believe my little boy is two months shy of being a whole year old! I almost don't even remember this funny wrinkly face. He's changed so much in a year. I wonder what he will be like next year?!? Parenthood is quite the adventure.

Oh My Little Boy

2009-07-19T18:29:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe you will be 10 months old tomorrow. How has time slipped by me so fast?

I have to say that you are truly my pride and joy, kiddo. You crack me up with your sweet (snaggle-tooth) smile and when you giggle I become a complete pile of goo. I know your daddy would whole-heartedly agree. I can't believe how strong you are. You can pull yourself up using just your arms! You try to climb everything you possibly can. Even though your balance is still something you are working on, you are ready to walk - no, run - at top speed. You are so smart, too. You amaze me with your already formed opinions on your favorite books and preferred toys. You chatter away like you have so much to say. I love to watch you concentrate on the task at hand. I love watching you figure out how to use your fingers and your mouth. I could watch you eat Cheerios for hours. You've had so many "firsts" this month: a big trip out of the country, fireworks, swimming pools, new foods, new teeth (!), new tricks, etc. I can't wait to see what next month will have in store. I love you, little boy!

Oscar's Odyssey

Little Leprechaun

Caught on Video

More Videos

Some Video

This Time Last Year...

What I didn't know...

New Fave

Fat Lip Fridays

Boo-Beep-Boop-Bot

Little Man

Autumn

So Sleepy

15 Months Old

Monthly Birthdays

Favorite Baby Stuff

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

First Haircut

Wordless Wednesday pt. 2

Wordless Wednesday

I've got rhythm...

He Walks!

Baby Boy

Oh My Little Boy