Raising Boys...

Since the events of my last post transpired, less than 3 weeks ago, my son has made sure I'm not getting any breaks in the "being the mother of a 2 year old boy" department...

9 days after the truck incident, we were putting up a ceiling fan in the other back bedroom next to Tyler's.  Since we moved in, there has been a simple flush mount fixture in there just to light the room.  Well, we took down the old fixture and momentarily set it on the floor next to us.  Within a minute or two, I hear my son smacking his lips together like he just tasted the best thing of his life...

At first I panicked because I knew there were a few small pieces from that fixture on the floor and I was sure he'd eaten one.  After a few seconds of checking everything and noticing all the pieces were still intact, Tyler says "Mmmm...All Gone!" with his hands held out on both sides.  He'd eaten the dead bug that somehow had crawled into the flush mount fixture...

Gross.

Fast forward approximately 12 hours.

Sunday morning.  We'd had breakfast and were starting to get ready for church.  Hubby was in the shower, I was starting to get myself ready and decided to break to go get Tyler dressed for church before I continued on myself...

I walk out of my bedroom to the kitchen/living room where he is supposed to be watching Barney, and find this.

Yes that is my wonderful little boy, proudly standing on top of the kitchen table.

Fast forward another 7 days.

Sunday morning again.  General Conference.  We have all of hubby's siblings over to watch with us except the youngest.  Tyler is back in his room playing with his aunt while the rest of us are sitting in the living room watching Conference.  They start down the hall, and he apparently tripped over nothing (didn't hear him hit the wall or anything, and there were no toys in the hall) and started screaming.

I knew something had to be wrong because this kid has slammed his head into walls and who knows what else tons of times and never makes a peep.  He trips all the time.  He's 19 months old...

It took me a good 2 or 3 minutes to console him and when I put him down to let him go back to play, he nearly collapsed and started crying again.

He was unable to stand, let alone walk, the rest of the day.  I was worried, but didn't know if it was just a bad sprain that I should just keep wrapped and not pay a Dr. $90 to tell me the same thing.  Or if it was something bigger that needed a little more in depth treatment.  All I knew was that my busy 19 month old sat on the couch watching TV for 4 or 5 hours by his own free will because of the pain walking and even standing was causing him...  

I wrapped his foot/ankle in an Ace bandage for the night and decided to see how it was in the morning.

Today he was at least able to limp around on his foot, and seemed to do fine standing.  But when I finally un-wrapped his foot and saw some slight bruising and him continuing to walk on the outside of his foot, I decided we should probably just take him in.  Even if it was for my own piece of mind.

We drove to Urgent Care and after a fairly thorough examination it was ruled that it was almost surely a stress fracture in the metatarsals (bone(s) of the foot).  X-rays normally don't show stress (hairline) fractures because they are so small.  Plus there isn't really anything special as far as treatment goes.

So, we are to keep it wrapped for the next few days and keep an eye on him.  If it isn't significantly better by the end of the week, we have a work order for some x-rays.

Seriously!

I really am going to have grey hairs, from my 1 child, by the time I'm 25...

Boys...

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Locked Out

Last thursday morning has been going just like most days, including breakfast, sesame street on TV, morning clean-up, etc.  Dan was working a half day, and took the Altima with him to work because we were going to be running errands in the truck when he got home around 12:30 and we're trying to conserve gas.

We had recently sold our office chair to a girl about 20 minutes south of us who didn't have a way to pick it up and was willing to give us a little gas money to deliver.  Thursday morning, before Tyler went down for his nap, I decided we would load up in the truck and go deliver the chair before Dan got home from work.

We get outside, I set my wallet & phone down on the driver's seat, buckle Tyler up in his carseat, start the truck and turn on the A/C before running back in to get the chair and load it in the bed of the truck.  

I get the chair all loaded up, walk around to get in the truck...and the door is locked.

I was about to have a serious panic attack because we only have 1 key for the truck.
(I know, we should have had a second key made right away.  I knew we should, and I definitely did later that afternoon)

Now, to my defense this was not complete parental neglect.  The lock on the drivers' side of the truck has never worked right.  You have to hold the key in the unlock position while you pull on the handle or it won't unlock all the way for you to open the door.  So, I had done this when I opened it the first time, but apparently when I closed the door to go get the chair, the lock slid back down just enough to lock me out...

I ran inside to try my luck with a metal hanger...No Dice.

I ran next door to see if my neighbor had any ideas of how to open it.  He came out with a metal hanger as well, trying different methods than I had, but still...No Dice.

Now, if you remember, I had set my phone on the seat of the truck also, so I had no way to even call anyone for help.  I was trying to think of who would be the fastest and cheapest to come open the door before Tyler started to panic.  I used my neighbor's phone and ended up calling the Pinal County Sheriff's Office.  They made it slightly more serious because there was a baby in the car, even though the A/C was on.  The operator said she was sending an officer right over and connecting me to the Fire Dept.

Well, because of our wonderful city neighbors south of us in good old Florence refuse to let we in San Tan Valley become an incorporated city, we are privileged to get to use the Rural Metro Fire Dept.  Which means that every year we get something in the mail asking us to subscribe for fire coverage. (Something like $350 a year)

Naturally, last year when it came to us for the first time, we decided against it thinking that the chances of us needing the Fire Dept. were slim to none... The catch is that if you don't subscribe each year, if they ever do need to come to your house, they charge you some outlandish fee.  I had no idea what to even expect as far as a fee for unlocking my truck door was concered, but the operator was connecting me nonetheless.

Within 5 minutes or so of making the call, 2 sheriffs and a small fire pick up truck arrived and went to work with their slim jims and other fancy lock picking tools.  Even with all their knowledge and fancy tools, it ended up taking about 20 minutes and prying the door somewhat open and hitting the unlock button inside.

When all was said and done, Tyler was locked in the truck for almost an hour.  By the end, he had started getting scared and was crying but at least I knew that it was just fear and fatigue setting in and that he wasn't in any danger.

The fire guy packed up and left pretty quickly, along with the 2nd sheriff that arrived.  So the first one to arrive was also the last one to leave.  He was a very nice guy, and after everyone else was gone informed me of the subscription to the Fire Dept. and that he highly suggests it because we have little ones and never know when we might need help.  He then told me that the gentleman that came from the Fire Dept. that day told him he was going to tell his dispatcher that the Sheriff was ultimately the one who unlocked the door so I wouldn't get charged for the call.  He said if they were to charge me, it would have been between $800 & $1000...

Lesson learned.  Next year when the subscription comes in the mail, we will be sending them a check.  As mentioned before, I also went and had an extra key made for the truck that afternoon.

All in all it was a scary experience, but all worked out in the end.  Definitely a baby book/blog worthy story though, that's for sure!

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Christmas in August?

I couldn't help myself today, when a girl in the area posted this Cozy Coupe for quick sale because they were moving.

I jumped at the $20 price and am so glad I did!

This kid L-O-V-E-S it!

(As you can clearly see lol)

So much for saving it for Christmas.  That was a nice thought, but I never would have been able to hide it from him until then.

Oh well, it's keeping him very entertained! :)

What have been some of your favorite toddler toys?  What are some of the best things to help them burn their what seems to be never-ending energy?

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Dumpster Dive!

A few days ago, while on my way to pick up some fabulous end tables I found on Craigslist for $25, I drove by our Walgreens and saw this Ugly Betty sitting in the parking lot by the dumpster.

I covered her as best I could with some of the mattresses that had been dumped with her, hoping no one else would see her while I went to get my end tables.  It worked!

Hubby came to help me load her up, even with his skepticism due the obvious amount of love she's gotten over the years.

She is very rough around the edges, but has a strong, solid frame.

I. Am. So. Excited!

I can't wait for the weather to cool down again so I can get to work on her!

Doesn't get better than free!

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Not Hungry?!

Over the past few days, my son has decided he doesn't eat anything anymore.  

At first, I thought he might have just been tired of the PB&Js that he's been having 4-5 days a week for months.

(By his own choice, he's loved them!)

But now, it's getting out of hand.  He has gone to bed the past 2 nights with virtually no dinner.

I feel awful.

Tonight, when I made spaghetti just for him because we were going to hit up YCs for Dan's early birthday dinner and he took 2 bites before pushing the fork away, I was beyond frustrated.

Spaghetti has always been one of his favorite dinners.

Hubby and I were trying to figure it out after Tyler went to bed, and I realized that it isn't really that he's just gotten picky, per se.  He has hardly finished his yogurt in the morning for breakfast the past 2 or 3 days, which if I had to pick his all-time favorite food, yogurt would be it.

French fries from McDonalds, probably #2 on his all-time fav list.  He eats 5 or 6 fries, and says he's done.

Everything else he takes one or two bites of and wants nothing more to do with it.

I'm at a total loss as to what to do about it anymore.

He can't keep going days without really having a decent meal.

What can I do about it?  Please someone tell me this is a phase that he'll grow out of quickly.  Anyone else had this issue with your toddlers?

Help!

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Nursery!

Our little man went to nursery for the first time today at church.  

He doesn't turn 18 months until September 1st, but we went to just test it out and see how he did, while I sat in there with him.  He was doing so good, didn't even look back to see if I was still there.  I did leave him by himself for the last hour, and they said he never cried or even noticed I was gone.

Is it bad that I was thinking "Free at LAST!" as I was walking down the hall to my own class by myself with no toddler to chase or entertain?

(hehe I love my child more than words can say, but I am more than stoked to be able to sit an actually listen to a lesson again!)

I was so proud of him and got my first taste of the love and pride a mother feels when her babies accomplish something big for the first time.

What happened to my baby boy?

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Welcome!

So, in attempt to more accurately and faithfully document our life here in our humble home; I decided to start completely over in the blogging world. Get a "fresh start" if you will. I have been thinking a lot lately about just how fast this little man is growing up.

That combined with the thought & realization that I haven't been great at journaling his growth and development (this kid is hilarious, and you might never know...) was cause enough to want to start over and give myself an easy place to record all of his and any future littles' growth and achievements. 

But, not to worry. This will not be just a blog about my darling little boy. 

 Anyone who knows me well, knows that I always have some project(s) in the making. Which now that I have my own beautiful home, usually involves some type of homemaking/remodel/landscaping/craft idea for this home of mine. 

For example, I am currently in the middle of redoing/organizing my pantry, which is sure to have a post all by itself in the near future. 

I am also working on making a t-shirt quilt as one of my first major sewing projects. Also to have it's own descriptive post hopefully sooner than later. 

 So, feel free to tag along and comment as you wish, as I begin publishing the very best and also inevitably, some of the very hardest times to come. 

 Welcome to my life in Paradise!

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