Most nights I read Max 1-3 books, rub back about 10 times and then explain why I can't lay down and sleep with him (uh, I've got just about a million things I'd like to do before I pass out about an hour later). Both Max and I love this ritual, but there are some rare nights when Max decides that he wants to read TinTin. I declared long ago that TinTin is a "daddy only" read. I simply can't deal with the intensity of the densely drawn comic squares in combination with the inappropriate 3 year old content! Daddy on the other hand is so familiar with the stories he can sort of sum up the plots and keep the pages turning. And then I get a well deserved night off from reading duty.

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Posted by big bunny at 9:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by big bunny at 9:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

He did it! 20 days later he's now running around our house as officer Max. "You're under arrest!"

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Posted by big bunny at 9:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The kid went cold turkey! After a few weeks of talking about saying goodbye to "nano" Max is finally off the nipple. Here's how we did it.

I started planting the seeds of him being a big boy and how nano's were for babies. I also tried saying that he should give up his nanos so other babies who need them could use them. I also talked about how the dentist said nano was ruining his teeth by giving him a big overbite and said the dentist would be so proud if he went in to his next visit and said he wasn't using one. I also said I'd be proud of him and I know he can do it. That was all possibly "blah blah blah" to him I think. I then said he should just tell me when he's ready to say goodbye, that he should just let me know. Then I would ask every so often, "are you ready?" to which he always replied "no". But I think that laid the foundation. About three weeks ago and told him I'd give him a dum dum lollipop if he tried to take a nap without nano. Oh ya, that worked! Sugar, the king of all motivators. So yes, he took that first pacifier free nap and enjoyed his sugar nano-like treat afterwards. He wanted to do it again the next day and yet again the next. The following day was a school day, so I wondered if he'd be ok not bringing it to school? He was fine with it, so long as he got a lollipop or madelines. My next trick was to do ye old bribery switchero (apparently I'll end up with a son who has a case of entitlement for doing so! Bad parenting 101). In exhange for 20 nano-free nights he could pick one toy — any toy he wanted in the toy store. He was quick to say he wanted a police costume with a badge and a magnet (due to a cops and robots episode of the Backyardigans that he likes to watch over and over). We decided to use his spiderman calendar to "x" off the days and we printed out a photo of the police costume for him to look at as motivation. The first night we started storytime nano-free but he changed his mind, so we blacked out the x. But everynight there after he's been nano-free with no complaints. Amazing. January 24 will be day 20.

Here's the rub though, ever since he's been off the binky bedtime has gotten more difficult. He doesn't want to stay in bed and claims to not be tired or is still hungry, urgh trade one issue for another — such is life.

Technorati Tags: pacifier, preschooler

Posted by big bunny at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If only it were fashionable for me to wear a onsie sweater jumper, I'd put this lovely one on for sure. Made by Lucky Jade, thank you Ms. Royall!

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Posted by big bunny at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'll have you know she's not grinning as I try to type this out, crying actually. I'm hoping she'll let me finish this entry. She hasn't slept in two hours so she's a bit of a wreck right now. My left foot is bouncing the bjorn like crazy. But back to the photo, Vivie has started to smile and coo and even have short periods of quietly doing nothing and enjoying it. We're all enjoying it too.

She had her two month appointment yesterday. She weighs in at 14.05 lbs (90th%), measures 24.25 inches (95th%) and checks out perfectly according to her doctor. But I saw a few areas that need some work : : : uh second baby syndrome alert! : : : There was serious cheese in her arm pits, behind her ears and, well, down there in all those folds too, uh geez mom, I hope the doctor wasn't too grossed out like I was! Sadly she had to have four shots plus an oral vaccine so the rest of the day was yucky, poor dear. She didnt cry until the 3rd shot — what a champ. We've traded the nasty case of seborrheic baby acne for a head full of cradle cap. So during that long over due bath I gave her last night, I scrubbed her scalp with a toothbrush and olive oil which did make a difference as a lot came off, but there's lots more to go. Just like the rest of the family, Vivie loves taking a warm bath. She'll stay in there without complaint and then take a long snooze there after, ah reprieve.

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Posted by big bunny at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As Vivie slept I played with an iPhone and really truly enjoyed web surfing on a mobile device for the first time. I'd read an article in February's Wondertime about why mommies blog (review here, my main reason for blogging is memory retention, I blog what I l know I'll forget in a minute, a day or forever — I hope my backups work!) and it listed a few blogs I checked out— one I'd surfed before but didn't get hooked on until yesterday. Finslippy is my new Dooce, and yes I'm really late to the party. The entry on bad parenting awards (like the Darwins for moms) had me cracking up, especially the "Oh No You Didn't" award, yikes! And yes, these made me feel like a stellar mother! Love that, thank you Finslippy. Others to check out next time I'm pinned under a sleeping baby and can still reach the phone: Breed 'em & Weep, Ben & Birdie (the Wondertime article writer & blogger) and then I'll just check out their blogrolls, oh my more reading than I'll ever be able to do.

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Posted by big bunny at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My favorite baby blankets are all wonderful gifts that I cherish (and wish were in an adult size). Each time I wrap Vivienne in one of these I purr like a kitty. Vivie is so lucky to nap in these. The gorgeous blanket and lovely above were gifted to Vivie by YaYa's mom and sister — thank you! — and are made by Heaven's New Souls. Both are made of super soft, fur-like fabric with textured dots and a thick satin trim and came with Vivienne's name embroidered in a lovely script. On the smaller "lovey" blankie there's a sewn on wish that says, "Guardian Angel, On-the-go, As you travel far and near, Take me with you — never fear, Let the softness of my touch, Remind you that you're loved so much." How sweet! I love the pink and brown color combination, it's always been one of my favorites.

Another amazingly soft über luxe— feels like rabbit fur — blanket that I adore is made by Little Giraffe. It was gifted to Vivie for Christmas by a generous friend of Vivie's grandparents. The big watercolor-like brown, pink and green polka dots on the light pink background make me so happy. It has a wide pale pink soft satin trim and the blanket has a really heavy weight feel and is very slippery. Super yum.

My other favorite blanket is a cotton candy sweet light pink, super thick chamois on one side and velvet-like chamois finish on the other side. The trim is matt satin so it's not so cold to the touch. The blanket has a heavy warm feel. It's made by Potterybarn. It was gift from Maga Paga, many thank yous!

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Posted by big bunny at 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, my heart. Tears welled up in my eyes when Max said "mommy I made something for you, I painted it myself". He was so excited he opened it for me. I had a flashback to my childhood creations and then I felt another moment that solidified that I am truly a mommy, my son just gave me a christmas ornament that he made — for me. This is love.

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Posted by big bunny at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)