concert catchup

It's been a very rough week here with the highlight being the They Might Be Giants show Wednesday afternoon. Cole came down with a stomach virus very suddenly Sunday night. He's never really thrown up before, even as a baby he rarely spit up, so the ordeal was scary for him and for us. We went through all our crib sheets and clean pajamas, and by morning he was wearing a too-big shirt with sweat pants. He had 3 baths that night, and threw up on me twice, in his crib twice, in a trash can, and the bath tub (not while bathing).

Cole's appetite has been slow to return and he's been a little sleepier, but he's feeling better every day. By Wednesday, the only remaining ailment was gas that smelled like we only fed him rotten eggs. We thought this cloud of gas might work to our advantage at the concert, but it didn't gain us any space. We got there 2 hours early which in fact was right on time if you wanted to be be up front.

TMBG played a great mix of the new music for the kiddies and old faves like Istanbul, Constantinople and Dr. Worm. Having seen them three times before, I can tell you that the show really wasn't all that different from what they would've done in a club. Sure, the amps were set a little lower and there wasn't room for a conga line, but it was the same energy. The show was truly fun for all, and we hung around afterwards to have goodies signed for Cole and his friends.

fork and spoon

At Cole's 15 months doctor's appointment his pediatrician asked if he was feeding himself with a fork and spoon. Cole has used a spoon successfully only a few times. He prefers to manhandle his food and show it who's boss.

On Sunday we visited the Nesbits at their new home in Southern Maryland, and we stopped for dessert in a tiny coffee shop on Solomon's Island. Their specialty is key lime pie, and Cole will agree that it is worth the trip. We offered him about a 1/4 of a slice, and it did not last very long. He began by poking the pie with the fork, and eating only the little sticky crumbs that clung to the fork. As he got more excited he stabbed the pie with such force, he split the remaining piece in two, and half of it stayed on the fork long enough to get it to his mouth.

So, I guess the answer to the doctor's question should've been, "Yes, but only when he is properly motivated."

TMBG

Cole will be going to his first "concert" February 23rd (thanks to a tip from Anna!). I've always liked They Might Be Giants, and their live shows are a ton of fun. I'm not familiar with their new music for kids, but I did notice their involvement with the title sequence of the Disney Channels's Higglytown Heroes. Their smart, funny tunes are great for all ages, so I'm open to hearing the new album/CD/DVD aimed at kids. I wonder if they'll pander to the parents with "Particle Man" or my fave "Birdhouse in Your Soul."

On a side note, I think the Disney Channel is a totally evil marketing machine and I'm offended by how obnoxiously blatant the advertising is. In between shows, there's a series of segments promoting their "stars" albums and merchandise. Keep in mind these stars are kids born into the Disney machine to be later spit out as the next Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Justin Timberlake. I'm not slamming all things Disney, but I'm not letting Cole watch the channel either. We'll go to Disney World someday and I'm sure we'll have a great time, but we won't be buying Raven's next album.

nursery rhyme time

I introduced Cole to the Itsy Bitsy Spider one rainy day, and this weekend, I dusted off some other old nursery rhymes that I thought I had forgotten. Cole loves Where is Thumkin? although he doesn't seem aware of his own thumbs. He just holds his hands up at face level and wiggles all his fingers as I sing it for him. Oh, and it gets even cuter, Saturday night we read to him from the Muppet Babies alphabet nursery rhyme book (obviously not the exact title, but I'm too lazy to go get it right now). The book was a lovely gift from the Millers which we have kept tucked away until Cole was ready for paper pages. With the help of the Muppets, we remembered all of Ring Around the Rosie and by the third time I sang it, all three of us were dancing in a circle around the living room. I never thought something so silly could be so much fun, and I don't think I've enjoyed Ring Around the Rosie that much since I was a little girl. We all had a good laugh and Cole will now grab both of your hands when he wants to play again.

Cole just started holding my hand while I walk with him. He used to just tug and twist like a poorly trained pup, but our pup is growing up and is now willing to hold hands in exchange for the freedom to walk like a big boy. Today we strolled into the bank together with Cole talking to himself with each step. He acted as if he had much more important business to attend to than I did.

crayons are fun

Cole has really embraced drawing in the last two weeks. He's now making purposeful marks as opposed to stabbing or drumming on the paper. As you can see, he's exploring colors and seems to like them all equally. He also enjoys putting the crayons back in the box and dumping them all out again. It's amazing to watch him suddenly accept something new.

If only he were as open minded about his dinner menu. He's loved all the new things we've tried for breakfast--sliced banana, cinnamon raisin toast with butter or cream cheese, and real oatmeal. Dinner and lunch have become more of a struggle, but I'm sure the fact that he seems to be getting 2 new teeth on the bottom isn't helping the cause. Still, I'm looking forward to the day when he makes up his mind that he likes chunky food beyond breakfast.

snow

Winter took its time getting here, but January felt like, well, January, for the most part. We've had a couple snow storms in the last 2 weeks, and the entire metro area goes into panic mode. Tony and I are both comfortable driving in snow, having plenty of experience in Green Bay and Rochester, but since the 9 million other drivers on the road aren't as well trained, we avoid going out. It's made for some nice quiet weekends.

On January 22, we finally got Cole into his snow suit and out in the elements. Maybe he was tired or uncomfortable in his Michelin suit, but he was not a fan of the white stuff. His reaction was of course documented on film and video. He stood completely, perfectly still and whined. After 5 minutes, we all went back inside.

Last weekend, we found ourselves in a surprise storm after a dinner out at Red Robin. [I know it's a great burger joint, but I'm hooked on the messy Chicken Teriyaki sandwich.] On the way to the car, Cole was fascinated by the snow and tried to catch it. He smiled as he felt the snowflakes on his face, so maybe there's hope for sledding and snowmen and hot chocolate in his future after all.