2.25.2009
Ridiculous
The following jusr occurred. Wyatt pulled his changing pad and wipes onto the floor. He the crawled over to me with a diaper in his mouth, laid down, and put his legs up in the air. Shall I begin potty training my ELEVEN MONTH OLD?????!!!!
2.11.2009
An Update, Finally!
The masses have spoken. They want more of Team Leeth.
Reasons why I haven't posted:
1) I now have a full fledged terror on my hand. Climbing stairs, scaling the walls of his play pen, chasing the dog, taking steps, TERROR! This is occupying a good deal of my time.
2) I am trying to lose some weight and am now donating Wyatt's nap time to exercising. I am feeling better already!
3) My New Year's Resolution was to have a house that is always ready for visitors (expected or not!). Meaning, I am spending what time I am not exercising cleaning! Living in a tidier house is also making me a happier lady!
And now, post excuses, a Wyatt update!
Wyatt's Words:
MaMa
DaDa
Dogga (This is Charley, our dog)
NaNaNa (This is no)
Ba Ba (bottle)
Ga DaDa (Grandaddy, my dad)
Hi
Hey
Buh Buh (Bye-Bye)
I think this is pretty impressive for a not yet 11-month old!
He is also crawling like crazy, able to stand for about 30 seconds unassisted, and he can take one step before falling over! I don't know, is this normal? Am I bragging about my amazing baby for nothing?!
He also does Patty-Cake, claps along to Bingo, and dances like crazy (see the video above!)
Reasons why I haven't posted:
1) I now have a full fledged terror on my hand. Climbing stairs, scaling the walls of his play pen, chasing the dog, taking steps, TERROR! This is occupying a good deal of my time.
2) I am trying to lose some weight and am now donating Wyatt's nap time to exercising. I am feeling better already!
3) My New Year's Resolution was to have a house that is always ready for visitors (expected or not!). Meaning, I am spending what time I am not exercising cleaning! Living in a tidier house is also making me a happier lady!
And now, post excuses, a Wyatt update!
Wyatt's Words:
MaMa
DaDa
Dogga (This is Charley, our dog)
NaNaNa (This is no)
Ba Ba (bottle)
Ga DaDa (Grandaddy, my dad)
Hi
Hey
Buh Buh (Bye-Bye)
I think this is pretty impressive for a not yet 11-month old!
He is also crawling like crazy, able to stand for about 30 seconds unassisted, and he can take one step before falling over! I don't know, is this normal? Am I bragging about my amazing baby for nothing?!
He also does Patty-Cake, claps along to Bingo, and dances like crazy (see the video above!)
Now some family photos!
1.14.2009
1.09.2009
It will be a miracle...
...if the child makes it to his first birthday.
Has it been established that Wyatt is a daring one? Well. He is. Actually, my mother-in-law calls him "payback." Why is it that sons are payback for all the ridiculous things their FATHER put their MOTHER through??? So really, Byron's impish behavior as a child has no repercussions for him but I am rewarded for my angelic childhood with a son who rivals Evil Knievil!
The following happened in a 2 hour span yesterday:
1) Wyatt was sitting in his highchair eating Cheerios and I turned to put something in the oven. When I turned back around he was STANDING in his high chair and leaning over the back of it!!! Lesson here: The high chair cover (with attached safety straps) cannot be washed and allowed to "air-dry" ever again or my son will kill himself.
2) We were giving Wyatt his bath and he decided to play Peek-a-Boo. Wyatt typically plays Peek-a-Boo by going face down into the bed, floor, blanket...wherever we happen to be sitting he just does a little face plant. How do you think that turned out in the tub?! With me screaming, "BYRON HE'S GOING TO DROWN!" Then the kid popped himself right back up grinning and laughing like it was the funniest thing he had ever done in his life.
So here is a warning Wyatt's future wife: Your sons will be holy terrors. Start looking at military schools.
Has it been established that Wyatt is a daring one? Well. He is. Actually, my mother-in-law calls him "payback." Why is it that sons are payback for all the ridiculous things their FATHER put their MOTHER through??? So really, Byron's impish behavior as a child has no repercussions for him but I am rewarded for my angelic childhood with a son who rivals Evil Knievil!
The following happened in a 2 hour span yesterday:
1) Wyatt was sitting in his highchair eating Cheerios and I turned to put something in the oven. When I turned back around he was STANDING in his high chair and leaning over the back of it!!! Lesson here: The high chair cover (with attached safety straps) cannot be washed and allowed to "air-dry" ever again or my son will kill himself.
2) We were giving Wyatt his bath and he decided to play Peek-a-Boo. Wyatt typically plays Peek-a-Boo by going face down into the bed, floor, blanket...wherever we happen to be sitting he just does a little face plant. How do you think that turned out in the tub?! With me screaming, "BYRON HE'S GOING TO DROWN!" Then the kid popped himself right back up grinning and laughing like it was the funniest thing he had ever done in his life.
So here is a warning Wyatt's future wife: Your sons will be holy terrors. Start looking at military schools.
1.06.2009
Test Results
We just got the results from Wyatt's bloodwork that was done last week and he is in fact anemic. He has to go on an iron supplement. The doctor recommended mixing it with juice. Now I just have to convince him to like juice.
My dad suffered severe anemia through a portion of my adolesence so when I first got the results (Mind you they were just a bunch of numbers with no word from the doctor yet about what they meant or what I should do) I asked dear old Dad to interpret them for me.
His response:
"Everything seems to be pretty normal except for the HEMATOCRIT is a little low, which can indicate low iron intake, and the RBC is on the bottom end of normal. They are not too far out of range though, so it certainly doesn’t indicate severe anemia like I had, or even moderate anemia. But my best guess is that it might indicate that Wyatt’s iron intake is a little low. My understanding is that this might be somewhat normal for infants when they are going through rapid growth spurts.
Bottom line: I have a cesspool of knowledge, but I’m not an MD. Call your Doctor and ask if you need to do anything different than what you are already doing (I think you are using the formula with an iron supplement already). She may just tell you to continue with that."
UPDATE: Upon hearing the recommendations of the doctor my dad replied, "I concur with Dr. Eley. Based on my review of the lab work I recommend the same treatment. Feel free to send me the results of the repeat blood work in 2-3 months and I will let you know how he is progressing."
My dad suffered severe anemia through a portion of my adolesence so when I first got the results (Mind you they were just a bunch of numbers with no word from the doctor yet about what they meant or what I should do) I asked dear old Dad to interpret them for me.
His response:
"Everything seems to be pretty normal except for the HEMATOCRIT is a little low, which can indicate low iron intake, and the RBC is on the bottom end of normal. They are not too far out of range though, so it certainly doesn’t indicate severe anemia like I had, or even moderate anemia. But my best guess is that it might indicate that Wyatt’s iron intake is a little low. My understanding is that this might be somewhat normal for infants when they are going through rapid growth spurts.
Bottom line: I have a cesspool of knowledge, but I’m not an MD. Call your Doctor and ask if you need to do anything different than what you are already doing (I think you are using the formula with an iron supplement already). She may just tell you to continue with that."
UPDATE: Upon hearing the recommendations of the doctor my dad replied, "I concur with Dr. Eley. Based on my review of the lab work I recommend the same treatment. Feel free to send me the results of the repeat blood work in 2-3 months and I will let you know how he is progressing."
We Gotta Get Out of This Place
Not just a song by The Animals but apparently my son's new mantra as well.
The following all occurred yesterday:
1) I put Wyatt in his "baby cage" so I could use the restroom. When I came back he had pushed one of his toys to the edge of pen and was standing on it attempting to climb out.
2) While I was making dinner, Wyatt was taking a bath in the sink. This generally works really well because he LOVES baths so it keeps him occupied while I get things ready and I am able to keep an eye on him. However, last night he leaned over the side of the tub that sits in the sink and attempted to stand up and get out. I have video of this but I don't know how to put that on here. If you want to see it ask. It is shocking.
3) After his bath, I took him down to the basement and was changing him on our downstairs changing table. The changing table is attached to a pack n play...one of those space saving all in one things we got when we were still living in our 500 sq foot 1 bedroom apartment (SO glad that is over!) He was tossing back and forth and rolling all around as he always does when I am trying to get a diaper on him. All of a sudden he was (still naked) on hands and knees and halfway off the changing table, leaning into the pack 'n play reaching for a toy. I grabbed him by the ankles before he hurtled himself onto his head.
This is why 9-month-olds, who have no sense of DANGER, should be immobile.
The following all occurred yesterday:
1) I put Wyatt in his "baby cage" so I could use the restroom. When I came back he had pushed one of his toys to the edge of pen and was standing on it attempting to climb out.
2) While I was making dinner, Wyatt was taking a bath in the sink. This generally works really well because he LOVES baths so it keeps him occupied while I get things ready and I am able to keep an eye on him. However, last night he leaned over the side of the tub that sits in the sink and attempted to stand up and get out. I have video of this but I don't know how to put that on here. If you want to see it ask. It is shocking.
3) After his bath, I took him down to the basement and was changing him on our downstairs changing table. The changing table is attached to a pack n play...one of those space saving all in one things we got when we were still living in our 500 sq foot 1 bedroom apartment (SO glad that is over!) He was tossing back and forth and rolling all around as he always does when I am trying to get a diaper on him. All of a sudden he was (still naked) on hands and knees and halfway off the changing table, leaning into the pack 'n play reaching for a toy. I grabbed him by the ankles before he hurtled himself onto his head.
This is why 9-month-olds, who have no sense of DANGER, should be immobile.
12.31.2008
Nine Month Stats!
Yesterday I took Wyatt for his 9 month well baby check.
Weight: 18 lbs, 10 oz. (17th percentile)
Height: 28 1/2 inches (56th percentile)
Head Circumference: I don't remember (80th percentile)
Does anyone see how strange this is? Normally all of your percentiles should be around the same. Since Wyatt is underweight, and has actually lost weight since we were in a couple of weeks ago, they wanted to run a test for anemia. That was about as fun as herding cats. Wyatt was a charmer as always smiling at the blood tech and jabbering right up until the point she stuck him. They pricked his little finger and he didn't cry! He did keep growling at the technician as I literally held him down while she filled the vial drop by drop by drop. I think it took about 20 minutes to collect the sample. My dear son is a mover and a shaker so there was blood everywhere. Perhaps in the future they should consider sedating the baby and the mommy!
Anyway, we are waiting for the results of that. Hopefully everything is normal. I think his weight is down a bit as a result of the stomach flu but I guess I'm glad the doctor is cautious. She said everything else looked good and that he was very advanced and intelligent and beautiful. As though I didn't already know all of these things!
Weight: 18 lbs, 10 oz. (17th percentile)
Height: 28 1/2 inches (56th percentile)
Head Circumference: I don't remember (80th percentile)
Does anyone see how strange this is? Normally all of your percentiles should be around the same. Since Wyatt is underweight, and has actually lost weight since we were in a couple of weeks ago, they wanted to run a test for anemia. That was about as fun as herding cats. Wyatt was a charmer as always smiling at the blood tech and jabbering right up until the point she stuck him. They pricked his little finger and he didn't cry! He did keep growling at the technician as I literally held him down while she filled the vial drop by drop by drop. I think it took about 20 minutes to collect the sample. My dear son is a mover and a shaker so there was blood everywhere. Perhaps in the future they should consider sedating the baby and the mommy!
Anyway, we are waiting for the results of that. Hopefully everything is normal. I think his weight is down a bit as a result of the stomach flu but I guess I'm glad the doctor is cautious. She said everything else looked good and that he was very advanced and intelligent and beautiful. As though I didn't already know all of these things!
12.30.2008
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...
Despite going to bed relatively late for a little guy, around 10ish, Wyatt is apparently already programmed to get up at the crack of dawn on Christmas Day. How do kids just seem to know that this is "Toy Day"? Once a reasonable amount of time had passed we called my parents to come on over for Christmas breakfast. That morning's specialty at Cafe Leeth was grits and sausage casserole. So delicious but so bad for you. But in the spirit of Christmas...yum!
"Ho Ho Ho"Wyatt really liked all of the shiny and apparently delicious paper as his main delight on Christmas Day was eating the wrapping.
"Wyatt Claus and Elf"
All that unwrapping really tired the boy out so he took a nice long nap and Byron and I enjoyed several cups of coffee and the relative peace between celebrations. And I read my new book almost in its entirety. Byron got me the Jon & Kate Plus 8 book. Let me tell you if you've never watched that show that she is INSANE. Beyond insane actually. I didn't know if that craziness would translate into print but it definitely did. So ridiculously awesome.
When Wyatt awoke, we headed over to my parents to see Wyatt's best buddy, Baby Judah! Grandaddy and Grandmom gave the boys lots of fun toys. Including the amazing "Bounce and Spin Pony."
"Future Blackmail"You may be thinking, "My Wyatt Claus, how you've changed!" Wyatt was so kind and let Judah borrow his Santa suit. You may not have noticed this but Judah is a big boy and Wyatt...well he just isn't. The reindeer outfit is 6 months and the Santa suit is 12 months. It was pretty much process of elimination which boy would wear what for the cutest Christmas photos ever.
"Judah Claus and his tiny reindeer"Christmas night we headed out to Fairfax to see Byron's parents and his grandma. They were still a little stomach fluish and Wyatt was Christmased out so we didn't stay long. Long enough to say "Ho, Ho, Ho" and home we went.
On the 26th, which George W. Bush graciously declared a federal holiday (thanks W), we had a vet appointment for the pupster and then planned the make-up Christmas celebration with the Leeths. For some unknown reason I volunteered to make potato soup for dinner that evening. Why? Why? Why? After peeling a million potatos and mashing a million potatos and cutting a million onions and frying a million pounds of bacon my kitchen was a disaster and we were late for dinner. Ay carumba... But the soup. It was delicious. So delicious. Worth the effort and the kitchen disaster which dear Byron cleaned up!
"Aunt Erin and Wyatt"
Byron's sister Erin has basically declared payback in all the gifts she gives Wyatt. When our nephew Payton was born in March of 2006 we made it out duty to find the loudest, most annoying toys known to man. Now Wyatt is receiving equally loud toys. In fact, his favorite gift of the whole lot is a train that drives around the house droppig balls out of the back. Guess who gets to wrestle the dog for the balls? ME! Thanks Aunt Erin and Uncle Kenny! Though Wyatt's squeals of glee as he crawls behind the train are totally worth my new role as dog wrestler.
"Choo-Choooo!"
Satrurday morning was splent cleaning and generally preparing for Byron's family to come out to our house. The whole gang came by and Payton informed Erin that he would like a baby cage full of toys like Wyatt has. The noise volume of all Wyatt's new toys being operated at once was through the roof yet Wyatt slept through it all!
Finally, Sunday arrived. Our second wedding anniversary! After church, my parents came over for lunch (leftover potato soup, of course) and took Wyatt home with them. Later they took the Water Taxi over to National Harbor to see the Christmas decorations at the Convention Center
"Wyatt's Night Out"Meanwhile, back home I was having a most glorious afternoon! I actually got to take a bath and no one demanded my attention. It was fabulous. THEN, I took a nap. How wonderful. At 6 o'clock I woke up from my 2 1/2 hour snooze (I told you, glorious afternoon) and got dressed for dinner. We went to Carlyle and got an appetizer AND dessert because it was our anniversary! Byron had received a gift card so we really felt like we could order whatever we wanted. With me choosing to stay home with Wyatt we really have to watch our money so it was really nice to be able to go out that night and not be worried about just ordering whatever was cheapest. I did drink water though...old habits die hard.
"Christmas 2006"
"Christmas 2008"
12.29.2008
'Twas the Night Before Christmas...
The week of Christmas is very busy for most of America and especially so for the Leeths this year! Now some catching up.
"Waiting for Santa"
Here are Byron and Wyatt in the 2+ hour long line. If I had a scanner I would scan the photo of Wyatt and Santa. Just as well. Santa looks annoyed and Wyatt looks terrified. This is cuter.
On Sunday we went to church. Wyatt looooves going to church because he has so many admirers and people are more than willing to hold him provided they can fight off his Grandaddy.
Sunday was also Wyatt's 9 month birthday. We celebrated with popcorn shrimp from Red Lobster. YUM! Later that evening, we went out to Midland to visit with Byron's sister. Midland is about 2 miles south of the middle of nowhere. The directions to the house ACTUALLY include the phrase, "Turn right at the silo painted like an ear of corn." You also pass a barn with a dancing cow painted on the side of it. I love it. After watching the Redskins game we loaded up the cars and headed to the Bull Run Festival of lights. I had never done anything like that and was suitably impressed.
Monday night was spent frantically with the masses at a most dreaded place. Springfield Mall. I soo hate shopping. I soooo hate Springfield Mall. I soooooooo hate crowds. It was a personal nightmare.
Tuesday it was BACK TO THE MALL. EWWW. This time I went in the middle of the day and it was not so terrible. Wyatt and I and a little 5-year-old friend of ours rode the merry go round. (This sounds creepyish but it really is not! I used to babysit this little girl about 20 hours a week when I was in grad school at George Mason. She was 2 then and now she is actually in kindergarten! I hope time does not go this fast with my own child...ay de mi.) Then we came home and made Christmas cookies for Santa. Wyatt thoroughly enjoyed having someone to get into his "baby cage" and play with him.
"Wyatt Claus"
"Waiting for Santa"Here are Byron and Wyatt in the 2+ hour long line. If I had a scanner I would scan the photo of Wyatt and Santa. Just as well. Santa looks annoyed and Wyatt looks terrified. This is cuter.
On Sunday we went to church. Wyatt looooves going to church because he has so many admirers and people are more than willing to hold him provided they can fight off his Grandaddy.
"Cuteness begins with a 'W'"
Sunday was also Wyatt's 9 month birthday. We celebrated with popcorn shrimp from Red Lobster. YUM! Later that evening, we went out to Midland to visit with Byron's sister. Midland is about 2 miles south of the middle of nowhere. The directions to the house ACTUALLY include the phrase, "Turn right at the silo painted like an ear of corn." You also pass a barn with a dancing cow painted on the side of it. I love it. After watching the Redskins game we loaded up the cars and headed to the Bull Run Festival of lights. I had never done anything like that and was suitably impressed.
Monday night was spent frantically with the masses at a most dreaded place. Springfield Mall. I soo hate shopping. I soooo hate Springfield Mall. I soooooooo hate crowds. It was a personal nightmare.
Tuesday it was BACK TO THE MALL. EWWW. This time I went in the middle of the day and it was not so terrible. Wyatt and I and a little 5-year-old friend of ours rode the merry go round. (This sounds creepyish but it really is not! I used to babysit this little girl about 20 hours a week when I was in grad school at George Mason. She was 2 then and now she is actually in kindergarten! I hope time does not go this fast with my own child...ay de mi.) Then we came home and made Christmas cookies for Santa. Wyatt thoroughly enjoyed having someone to get into his "baby cage" and play with him.
"Christmas Cookies"
"Why does the Caged Baby Smile?"
Finally, Christmas Eve! Hooray!! The plan was to go to church at 5 then to Byron's parent's house for dinner and nifty gifties. (And we did indeed get some very nifty gifties! Like a sweet GPS! I'll never be lost again!!!! Provided I remember to bring it with me...still working on that new trick!) Unfortunately, we had shared the stomach flu with Byron's mom, 2 sisters, and his grandma who flew in from Indiana. OOPS! We thought we were in the stomach bug clear but apparently not. Plan B! We opened our new Christmas PJs before church and then went off to see the White House trees. Don't be fooled by Wyatt Claus' disguise. Part of his excellent management plan is to literally walk in the shoes, or in this case hooves, of his support staff. On Christmas Eve we caught him in reindeer mode!
"For Me?"
"Pure Delight"
" 'Zat You Wyatt Claus?"
To be continued...
12.18.2008
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