16 (er, almost 17) week belly shot: movin' and shakin'

Well, it's official; Tadpole and I have a new due date: January 7th. And just the fact that I managed to get the date changed reminds me why I love The Birth Center. My ultrasound said Jan. 7th, but most doctors wouldn't change a due date based on that, since it's only a 6 day difference from my earlier January 1st date. Fortunately, I have both very understanding midwives and additional evidence supporting a Jan. 7th due date. The midwives and I have determined that I ovulate on week 3, not week 2 like most women, supported by lots of evidence, including the fact that Lyndon was exactly a week "late". (Incidentally, I'm pretty sure he also measured a week behind on his early ultrasound, but nobody thought to change things around then. Now they know better.)

So, my "12 week" shot was actually an "11 week" shot, and so on. But now we've got our act together. So on to the pictures!

Isn't that bathroom lighting just glorious? Yeah, I know. It was the best I could do.

Close-up of the belly. I pretty much look pregnant now, instead of just fat, as long as I wear a shirt that fits closely, not one of those circus tent numbers.

Exciting news this week: I've started feeling little Tadpole move! Both the ultrasound tech and every midwife that's tried to find a heartbeat has commented on how much this little one has been moving, and I concur. It's not a strong enough feeling to stop me in my tracks just yet, but there are plenty of moments throughout the day, especially if I'm sitting down, when I can tell that Tadpole is all kinds of active in there. It's comforting to know he/she is alive and well, but it's a little scary to think about having a child that's that active. Then again, Lyndon was a mover, too, and he's turning out to be the best kid I could have wished for. So, no worries.

Two more weeks until our next ultrasound, when the all-important question will (should) be answered: boy or girl?

our victory garden

First of all, I apologize for the shabby vegetable garden coverage this year. I honestly didn't think it would be much of a success. You see, I planted it in the shadow of our neighbor's privacy fence. This spot doesn't get full sun until about 2pm, but it worked perfectly with the layout of our postage stamp-sized yard, so I thought I'd give it a try. All I had to lose was a few seed packets.

And all I had to gain, it seems, was about a billion tomatoes.

These pics were taken a few weeks ago, before everything ripened. These tomatoes are now a lovely shade of yellow-red, almost ready to be picked. Oh, and these are cherry tomatoes . . . about the size of a golf ball, these cherry tomatoes. All three of my cherry tomato plants are producing beautifully, even with the mild grasshopper infestation they had to endure.

Then we move on to the cucumbers.

These two plants actually look better in this picture than they do now, mostly because I epic fail at harvesting them. Two cucumbers escaped my notice long enough to tell their plants to shut down. Most of the leaves are now yellowish-brown, although there are a few at the top that still look like this and have some new flowers, so maybe all is not yet lost. And even if they are done producing, I've still gotten my money's worth and then some. Anybody know a nice recipe for cucumber salad?

Then there are the string beans.

These probably won't be part of the garden next year. I didn't realize just how many bean plants you need to produce enough beans for a decent meal, and that number is way beyond the capacity of my garden. Maybe with the extra space next year, I'll be able to find all my cucumbers!

Not pictured is our lettuce, which, because of its sheltered position against the fence, didn't go to seed as early as our neighbors'. I want to try ripping it up and planting some spinach there in the fall. Can you imagine not paying an arm and a leg for baby spinach leaves? I know I can.

Also not pictured is my sad little strawberry plant. Maybe it just needs some time to "get established," or maybe the bugs just love it way too much, but I've only managed to harvest one little strawberry from it. It's supposed to be everbearing, though, so there's still time.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is our victory garden. The garden I never expected to succeed, let alone flourish. I'm already excited for next year.

this is seriously impressive

So, I came into the living room the other day while Lyndon was playing with his blocks, and this is what I found:

Yes, that is a nine block tower, incorporating two skinny blocks stood on their ends. Yes, he made it all by himself. I wasn't even in the room. No, I did not alter this picture.

I did, however, go look up the standard 18-month milestone for block-stacking. Sometime between 19 months and 2.5 years, the average child should be able to "make a tower of six cubes".

Um... yeah.

The next milestone is "make a tower of eight cubes", and it's not supposed to happen until sometime between 2 and 3.5 years.

Eep.

I know it's not a race; I know this doesn't necessarily even show extraordinary intelligence, just extraordinary small motor skills. But, man, it's hard not to feel super proud of your child after something like this. I wondered, though, if I was blowing it out of proportion. So I took some of Lyndon's other skills to the developmental chart. By 18-25 months, children should "know six body parts". I tested him last night, and he knows 14. Ehm.

This actually freaks me out a little. I've had people tell me that he's really smart before, but it's kind of scary to realize that my child will probably far outpace me in intelligence . . . probably by the time he's 5, at the rate he's going. I'm not surprised; Adrian is way smarter than I am, and Lyndon is just like him in so many ways. I'm just a little intimidated, especially when I think about maybe homeschooling this child. Yikes.

our first conversation

Lyndon: (while looking out the back door) "Dog!"
Me: "Do you see a dog?" (There was indeed a man walking a dog across the street.)
Lyndon: "Yeah. 'S outside."
Me: "Aaaaugh! Did you really just say that?!"

We just had our first conversation. *beams*

hearing and talking

Lyndon officially-- for real this time-- has 3 words!

"daddy," "dog" and "yeah"

It's anybody's guess whether "daddy" and "dog" will come out as "da" or as "da-da" on any given attempt, but he's using them all the time, and if you ask him to say one, he will give you one of those two sounds. "Yeah" sounds more like "yah" most times, but it definitely means "yes".

And (bonus language!) if you ask him to say "shoe", he makes a nice "s" sound; he often says something that sounds a lot like "outside" while pounding on the front door or pointing out the window; and he has definitely said "ah-dah" while signing "all done" several times now. All of these are pretty hit-or-miss, though.

The point is, he has 3 words by 18 months! Which means no speech therapy yet!

Of course, he came up with 2 of these 3 words on the day of his hearing test. The lady was like, "Why are you guys here?" and I had to say sheepishly, "Because, until yesterday, the only word he ever said was "Daddy", so they think maybe there's something wrong with his hearing. Or they did think that. Um . . . yeah."

For those of you who don't know, getting him a definitive hearing test has been a long, dramatic, emotional process. Apparently, there are audiologists out there who expect a 17 month-old to sit still and quietly while a complete stranger in a white coat jams too-big earbuds into his ears, then curses in his face when the machine breaks down (true story). Lyndon cried the entire time we were there, and I was crying by the end, too.

However, there are also audiologists out there who play fun games with speakers and light-up toys, hand out monkey flashlights, and blow bubbles. We got to see one of these at the children's hospital (on the day he added his new words), and it was amazing. By the end of the appointment, Lyndon was holding the doctor's hand. And, we had a verdict:

Lyndon has fluid in one of his ears, but it's not affecting his hearing in the slightest. So, if our pediatrician thinks we should call the Child Watch people after his 18 month appointment, it should be smooth sailing to get him evaluated.

And, if not, well, I'm more than okay with that. Three words is plenty for now.

mommy's little (big?) helper

Lyndon LOVES to help. He will do pretty much anything I ask if I tell him he's "helping". He has a few favorite chores, though-- mostly ones that involve taking things out and putting things in.

He loves helping me unload the dishwasher. Seriously. The kid once stopped eating his lunch because I started unloading the dishwasher and he couldn't stand NOT helping.

 

The silverware drawer is his favorite because he can easily pull out one. piece. at. a. time and hand them to me, (Don't worry; I take all the sharp knives out first.) but he's also started helping with the plates and bowls. Of course, I have to be on my toes for this, because if I don't take the plate from him fast enough, he will toss it on the floor. But that's only had to happen once, and I think not having to bend over for this task anymore is worth the risk.

He also has recently discovered the joy of fetching me things . . .

. . . like his changing pad and wipes. Funny story: he did this without me asking. I was prepping dinner, and I smelled something funny, so I told him that I would change him as soon as I finished up. He ran out of the kitchen, I assumed, to hide from the (usually) dreaded diaper change. However, a minute or two later, when I came into the living room, there he was, on his way into the kitchen, holding his changing pad and wipes. When he saw me, he carefully put the pad on the floor and laid down on top of it. And when I pronounced us "all done", he picked up the pad and wipes, and put them back in my bag by the front door.

Yes. It's true. I pretty much have the best child ever.

He also loves to help with the laundry (pictures forthcoming hopefully soon) and flushing the toilet after I dump out his diapers (don't ever expect pictures of that).

Are all toddlers this helpful, or is it just mine?

our staycation, part 2: the city

After our lovely day-long beach vacation, we went to visit some friends in the city. Adrian went camping with his former roommate and longtime friend, while Lyndon and I stayed with InDeeds and the baby. She keeps telling me how much there is to do in her city, but I didn't quite believe her until I experienced it for myself. Unfortunately, my camera died on the second day of our weekend adventure, so my pictures may leave something to be desired.

First we went to Storyville . . .

Lyndon had all kinds of fun playing with Legos and trains. We really need to get him some . . .

He also, despite the pouty face, loved sitting in this little chair. I'm pretty sure it was designed for stuffed animals, since it was a tight fit even for him, but he loved it. And no, that's not our teddy bear. That particular ratty (but endearing) toy belongs to Storyville. (Yes, I had to repress a shudder as I watched him snuggle his face into its germ-covered belly, but I could either test his immune system or break his heart. Guess which one I chose.)

 

"Legos and trains aren't just for boys!" says Papillon.

"Neither are awesome rocking boats!"

Then, we visited the duck pond. The ducks (especially the drakes) were apparently starving and not afraid to show it. We got attacked more than once, to the point where I had to beat one off with my shoe. (True story.) Between the vicious ducks and Lyndon's desire to leap into the pond, it was a busy trip.

The females were a little less gung-ho. A little.

Lyndon, however, was plenty gung-ho. He splashed and stomped pretty much the whole time we were there. (Love those Crocs.)

Oh, duck pond. How I wish we had one.

There was SO much to do in the city, so much to see. It was all free and open to the public-- unlike here, where the children's museum costs $12 per person and you have to put your name on a waiting list to attend library storytime-- and, as much as I don't want to live in the city, I have to admit, it has its advantages.