drawings

We busted out the crayolas a few weeks ago to see if Cole was ready. The test would be how long would it take before he put one in his mouth. We were shocked and amazed that he waited a whole 20 minutes before biting the tip off the black one. Of course it had to be the black one. I had to pull out the funny infant finger toothbrush to undo that damage.

Once a day now, we take out the crayons and Cole's own sketchbook (with extra heavy paper) and we draw together. It's the most drawing I've done in more than a few years. I've learned it's best to offer Cole 3 crayons and hide the rest. With 3, he has one for each hand, and there's always one left for me. Sometimes he uses them as drumsticks and hits the paper. Other days he attacks the paper with a stabbing motion creating a sheet of freckles. I don't know if he realizes that he is making marks yet, but we're both having fun with art class.

one year photo shoot

I got the idea for Cole's one year photo shoot from an episode of Oprah a couple years ago. It was a show about quirky family traditions and the special bonds that they can create. One mother photographs her children on their birthdays each year dressed in the same outfit. Her daughter wears her grandmother's Pucci dress, and her son wears one of his father's dress shirts. Now that the kids are older they really enjoy the photo shoot with their mom and they all have fun looking back at the earlier photos.

For Cole, I chose one of Tony's dress shirts and ties and also his Brett Favre jersey. I couldn't decided so I used both. It was tricky keeping the sleeves rolled up so I had to work fast, but I got a couple shots that I really love. These will definitely be framed.

Oh, another cool idea from that same episode came from a father. He has a special handshake with his kids before they leave for school. Each kid has their own handshake and they've become more and more complicated over the years. The handshakes were really funny, and I still smile just thinking about them.

Good ol' Colie Brown

Cole was a natural Charlie Brown. At his recent check-up, his height and weight were pretty average, but his noggin remains around 85th percentile. Tony wanted to shave his head to complete his Halloween costume, but I don't think Cole would've cooperated even if I had let his daddy take out the shears. It was a great costume because it was cheap to make, and with the unseasonably warm temps, it was very comfortable for Cole to wear...oh, and did I mention cute...

The trademark shirt was harder to make than I had expected. I had to cut down a child's size small and re-hem it which meant hauling out the sewing machine from the overstuffed closet. Then the fabric paint I had bought turned out to be liquid dye which bled like ink, making it impossible to paint a sharp line. Of course it was midnight on Friday when I discovered this and we had a costume party to go to the next day. So, I searched through my art supplies and ended up mixing the black dye with acrylic burnt umber. It was no small trick to paint both sides without allowing one side to dry first either. In the morning, the results looked pretty good but the fabric was stiff and scratchy from the acrylic paint. I set the paint by running the shirt through the dryer on high and then crossed my fingers as I put it in the washer on the gentle cycle. My hope was that it would soften the fabric, but I knew there was a good chance it could wash out the paint completely. Luckily, it did soften the fabric and the black stripe survived. Next year I'll definitely start the costume construction earlier!

We spent Halloween Day with Elaine, Mark and Nina while Tony was at the Redskins vs. the Packers game. At night we visited a couple neighbors, but Cole cried when they opened their doors. It worked out okay because he got lots of sympathy candy, but we only stopped at four doors because he wasn't having fun. He's been eating the Halloween pretzels, but Tony and I are splitting the rest of the booty. Next year when Cole can talk, I'm sure he won't be as willing to share.

a year and a few days

Dear Cole,

Happy birthday to my sweet baby boy! Never in my life has so much happened in one year. It is a pleasure to spend each day with you as you grow and explore. I am sorry that I have been very tired on some days,and I thank you for the energy that you bring to each morning because you power us both sometimes. And I'm grateful to you for the naps because you've encouraged me to rest too, and that's something that doesn't come easily to me. You remind me that life can be simple, and that good things happen if we just eat when we're hungry, sleep when we're tired, smile when we're happy, and cry when we're sad.

In the past year, not a day has gone by when I haven't said the word poop. That might sound funny or gross to some, but other parents will just smile and nod. Someday I hope you'll understand the humor in that statement. There have been some tough times this year, and all three of us have proven that we're stronger than we thought. When we both had the flu last Christmas, I had to take your temperature in that most unpleasant way, and worse yet, hold you as the nurses poked you with needles while searching for a vein. Your dad was so sad to see us both sick and to spend the holiday in the hospital, but you recovered quickly and cheered us up.

I love sharing your discoveries and "firsts." Your first laugh was as clear as a bell and brought beaming smiles to me and your dad. Your laughter is still the most beautiful sound in the whole word to us, and we'll do pratfalls all day long just to hear you giggle. Today you've decided to add high pitched squealsto your giggles and I love that you obviously have your own sense of humor.

Your smiles are just as magical, and while I miss your gummy grin, I'm now just as in love with your 6-toothed smile. You have a new smile when you are running. You throw your head back and run with your mouth open and that's my current favorite smile.

You've also finally learned to nod "yes" after months of the "no, no" shake. Your "yes" is an exaggerated nod and you usually do it while walking. It appears you're having a very animated conversation with yourself. And while you're not saying real words yet, you do make a sound like "essss." You also say something that sounds like "what's this?" and "this" while pointing.

You play games that no one has taught you, games you've made up on your own. Our favorite is "where's Cole?". You "hide" behind me waiting for me to call for you. Sometimes you run around and laugh, other times you hug my back and squeal.

You are generous with your laughter and smiles and you make everyone around you happier. You are my joy and I love you very much.

Happy Birthday,
Maba

Gymboree coincidence

Today I checked out the local Gymboree as I was scouting locations for Cole's birthday party. Our apartment will barely hold the family members invited and there would be no room at all for Cole's baby buddies, so I was investigating other options. As soon as I walked into Gymboree Cole wanted to climb into the gym area and it was no easy task to hold him back. He was that intrigued by the brightly colored gym mats. I knew I had found the place.

It got better. The clerk who helped me recognized my address. She had rented the very same apartment a few years ago. We chatted about the quirks and charm of the place and the challenges of apartment living with toddlers. She was so kind and helpful that by the time I had left I had booked the party and signed Cole up for a class, but with the benefit of multiple discounts and many of the usual sign-up fees were waived.

The class will be great for Cole because it will be a chance for him to roam in some wide-open, padded space. I noticed that he was walking and crawling much faster while we were in NJ because he had more room to explore. I wish we had more to offer him at home, but this should help until we move into a house in the spring.

the big tub

Today I took Cole for a Baby & Me class at the rec center pool. Cole has always loved bath time, so I felt pretty confident that he would like the big tub. It's a good thing I was right because this was the first of eight sessions, and it could've been a long 2 months.

The pool is set up kind of like a beach. No stairs or ladder, just a slope so you can slowly walk into the water. Cole started kicking and splashing as soon as he felt the water reach his feet. We sang songs as we moved the kids through the water and Cole enjoyed the half-hour class. When I laid him on his back and supported him he just lounged and smiled. The only time he was uneasy was when I had trouble repositioning him and he got some water in his nose. He was quickly consoled and ready to play again almost immediately.

The tough part for me was being in 4 1/2 feet deep water which only leaves a bit of my shoulders above the water. It meant I was holding Cole at my face level which is why I goofed and got his face wet at one point. The taller moms had a much easier time. The next challenge was changing Cole out of his swim gear, drying him off, dressing him in a dry diaper and clothes while I'm still dripping wet. It took me so long that I was able to drip dry and then I kept one hand on him while he was laying on the towel-covered bench while I pulled my pants on over my swimsuit. I waited until I got to the car and had him settled in his carseat before I ran a comb through my hair. One good thing about having such a cute kid is that I can look like a total trainwreck and no one will notice.

Boardwalk

For the Labor Day weekend we headed north for a friend's wedding in NYC and to visit family in NJ. To beat traffic, we drove home on Sunday but along the way we stopped at Pt. Pleasant for Cole's introduction to the Boardwalk. We hadn't been to Pt. Pleasant in at least 2 years and I've really missed it. As a kid, I spent nearly every summer weekend at the beach and 2 full weeks in August, and sometimes I just need to smell the salt in the air. Oh and when that salt air mixes with the aroma of the cheesesteaks, pizza, zeppoles, fresh cut fries, fudge and taffy it's magical. Food aside, Pt. Pleasant is one of my favorite places ever.

The main reason I was hell-bent on making the stop at the boardwalk though was my MRI scan last year. Ever since, I have been looking forward to taking Cole to the boardwalk as a way of healing that difficult time. When I was in the MRI tube, I couldn't help but think of the what ifs. The whole reason for the test was to rule out the scarier options like a stroke or brain tumor. But I told myself that it didn't matter because nothing was going to keep me from bringing my little boy to the Boardwalk for his first trip on the same train I used to ride with my great grandfather.

We rode the train, and Tony took Cole on the carousel, and it was so much fun. I heard all the sounds of the MRI machine again but this time with a full beaming smile on my face.