thanks, Big Guy.

I was cleaning the kitchen up after lunch a few days ago, after Stephen had left for work.  Christopher was crawling around on the floor in the kitchen, playing with some toys.  I had already gotten on to him several times for trying to get into Baxter’s food dish while Baxter was eating, so I finally moved the food so that the poor dog could finish eating in peace without being terrorized by Christopher.  I was still keeping a close eye on C to make sure he didn’t make his way back over to the food, though. 

A few minutes went by and Baxter finished eating, but I noticed there was still a few little pieces in his bowl.  I gave him a treat and he ran off into the living room with it to eat it.  Christopher headed off in a different part of the kitchen, and I watched to make sure he didn’t grab a few pieces of Baxter’s food, then turned back around to finish wiping off the countertops.  A few minutes went by and I could hear Christopher babbling in the living room.  I knew he would have walked by Baxter’s food bowl to get to the living room, so I went in to check to make sure he didn’t have any food in his hands or mouth.

When I walked in, Christopher was just crawling around, and Baxter was hovering around him.  I bent over to check his hands - nothing.  But he was still babbling, and it sounded a little… strange.  I decided to check his  mouth for a piece of Baxter’s food… so I stuck my finger in his mouth and sure enough, I felt something!  But it wasn’t a little bitty round piece of food… it was bigger, and very hard.  As I pulled it out, I realized it was half of a milkbone.  Ew, ew, double ew.  I guess Baxter hadn’t eaten his whole treat at once, and Christopher had gotten to the other half before Bax could finish it. I was freaking out for two reasons - one, because he could have choked on his huge dog treat, and two, because that is just gross.

I scooped Christopher up and took him into the bathroom to use his new gum/tooth cleaner so that I could at least try to clean his mouth out after sucking on a milkbone.  The “brush” that I bought for him is actually a little rubber thing that slips on my index finger and has little bristles on the end of it.  So I put it on, and stuck my finger back in his mouth to brush his gums and two cute little teeth.  Of couse, all he did was bite my finger.  I brushed for probably 15 or 25 seconds (as best as I could, at least, with him biting on my finger) and was about to finish up when I decided to do one last sweep around his mouth and under his tongue… and when I did, I pulled out yet another little piece of milkbone - small, yet big enough that he would have choked had I not found it and he had tried to swallow it.  It literally gave me goosebumps when I realized that he could have easily choked on it, had I not taken him in to brush his teeth, or decided to do one final sweep around his mouth.  Needless to say, I was sending thanks up to the Big Guy for keeping my little man safe and sound that morning.

From now on, Baxter doesn’t get treats unless I watch him eat the whole thing.

Things are going good in the Olmstead family!  I have had the last four days off, which has been really nice!  I am so grateful for Stephen.  He understands how important it is for me to be a stay-at-home mom, and even though we can’t afford for me to not work at all, I am able to work just part-time so that I can still spend the majority of my week home with Christopher. =)

Stephen and I are going through a phase right now.  Nothing bad - our marriage is GREAT - but just with life in general.  We are just kind of in a rut that we are really ready to get OUT of.  We’re hoping that after I finish my degree THIS FALL at Henderson, we can move somewhere where I can get a good job and Stephen can finish his degree as well.  We’re not positive, but we’re thinking the Fort Smith or NWA area.  We’re ready for a little “upgrade.”  I’m excited about it and also SO impatient.  I would love to take a summer class, just to get the ball ROLLIN!

Christopher is crawling like crazy, plus he pulls himself up to standing all the time now! On the coffee table, a box of diapers, his crib. He pulls himself up when he wakes up in the mornings, or when he wakes up from his nap, or at 4am when he just randomly wakes up… I guess he thinks he is just supposed to stand up.  Hmm, not that early!  Ha!  We just lay him back down and he goes back to sleep.  Silly kid.  He also waves bye-bye now.  =)  He is too cute for words!

Wordless Wednesday

videos

Christopher is growing by leaps and bounds.  It amazes me what he's learned in just the past week alone!  Crawling, pulling up to standing (he's done it in his crib a few times today, but I still haven't actually seen him) and getting more social.  We have been having such a great time together.  Well, except for when he repeatedly gets into things he's not supposed to and gets told NO over and over and gets angry with me!  =)

The weather was beautiful today so we spent some time outside.  We went for a walk then he played in his pack-and-play on the front porch while I did some gardening. (I'm trying it.  I've always wanted a green thumb, so we'll see if this works!)  I planted some elephant ears and caladiums next to a hydrangea bush today and tomorrow I'm planning on planting some calalillies somewhere.  I've also got to dig up some holly bushes and some other dead bush stumps in my back yard.  I didn't take any pictures today, but I did upload some sweet videos that I've taken over the last month or so.  =)







****Also -- today marked the one year anniversary since sweet Noah was shaken by his daycare provider.  I've been keeping up with Noah's story for nearly a year now, and have shed so many tears for him and his family. I know that the day is nearly over, but take some time to go visit his site, read their entry from earlier today and say a prayer for Noah, his family, and all the other sweet babies in this world who have been so wrongly abused.****

Christopher Tyler - 8 months!!

Believe it or not - Christopher turned 8  months old YESTERDAY.  Time is seriously flying by. It seriously feels like I’ve just blinked, and so much has happened in just the last week alone - not to mention the last 8 months.

Christopher can now CRAWL! I started officially counting it as crawling last Tuesday, April 14th. He had been able to “skooch” himself pretty much anywhere he wanted to go, and would get himself in the crawling position, but wouldn’t actually go anywhere.  Well, last Tuesday he took his first couple of “steps” crawling, and he hasn’t quit moving ever since!  He is SO mobile!  He is so cute to watch, and he gets so excited crawling around, he makes the cutest little noises. I have a video of it that I’ll have to share soon.

So -- Christopher…at 8 months old ….

--you are wearing a size 4 diaper

--you are wearing 12 month clothes (and even some 18 month rompers!)

--you have the TWO most adorable little bottom teeth! I was kind of sad to see your sweet gummy smile go last month… but it is so cute now too!

--you still say “da-da-da-da” and NOT “ma-ma-ma-ma.”  =(

--you are getting more interested in Baxter and other animals.  Baxter likes you, but doesn’t necessarily like the interest you’ve taken in him. It could have something to do with pulling his hair… which we’re working on. ;)  You REALLY like cats! But your Daddy is allergic (and who knows - you may be too!) so no cats for us!

--you LOVE your “snacks.”  You’ve tried Banana, Sweet Potato, and Strawberry flavored “Puffs” snacks, yogurt melts, and some cheese-flavored crisp type thing that kind of reminds me of a puffy cheetoh!  You get so excited when we put you in your high chair and break out a can of snack food.

--you also love your baby food (you still love everything you’ve tried -- and you’ve tried LOTS!) and your bottle.

--as of today, you are no longer in your “baby carseat.”  This makes me a little sad.  BUT, I also know you are going to be SO much happier in your big-boy carseat and have so much more room! (I am dreading this spring and having to put you in your carseat while it’s raining outside.  OH, what I would do for a garage, or even a covered area for my car!)

 

--you still take two naps a day, and sleep all through the night. You usually go to sleep around 8pm and sleep until 8:30am. (A few days ago you slept till 9:30, but this morning you were up at 7:45. Eck!)

--you love to hold onto my fingers and walk around.  You will walk to wherever you want to go, then sit down! You usually walk to your toy box and then sit and play with your toys for a long time! Well, you used to. Now you just crawl away whenever you get a little bored!

--you’ve pulled up to standing once, at your Granny’s  house.  I think you might be an early walker!

You are the light of my life and I love you more than words can say, Christopher Tyler Olmstead!

Christopher Tyler - 7 months!

I KNOW it’s just a few days before he’s 8 months… but better late than never, right? I actually have a (semi-decent) excuse for not posting his pics and stats before now -- I lost my camera for several weeks and just found it yesterday! I was actually starting to get a little worried, because I knew that these pictures, plus several others, were on the memory card and I was afraid I might have really lost them for good.  PLUS I hadn’t taken any pictures of him since I’d lost the camera, which made me pretty sad. I’m so glad I found it!

*****

So, Christopher - at SEVEN MONTHS OLD… you are getting so BIG! I just cannot believe all the things you were doing at seven months. It makes me sad and happy all at the same time.  You are such a SWEETIE. Everyone always talks about how cute and happy you are all the time.  It makes my heart smile. =)

It was harder to take your 7 month picture because your Daddy wasn’t here, and he normally helps by keeping your attention and making you smile for the camera. You are getting so big and mobile, all you wanted to do was move around and NOT SMILE at your boring old Mommy!

I mean - the ribbon ties on your bumpers are way better than me…and so is the sign…
Pretty sure you were trying to figure out if you could make it over. (The side was in it’s lowered position, which isn’t normal. You were like, “Hey, I could crawl over this NO PROBLEM!”After I pulled the side back up and told you N-O…SO. STINKING. BIG.People are also always commenting on those beautiful blue eyes. =) They are gorgeous!

At seven months old…

--You are wearing 9-12 month clothes

--You are wearing a size four diaper

--You continue to be a GREAT sleeper! I continue to be SO thankful for his!

--You love bathtime! You splish and splash all over and play with your bath toys.  You try to catch the water as it drains out of the tub!

--You have tried lots of different food and you like everything!  EVERYTHING! Green, yellow -- even purple prunes! You got that from your daddy, not me!

--You have one little tooth just starting to break through!

--You know what it means to “give sugar.” They are the BEST sugars too. You suck on people chins/jaws and sometimes you even make funny noises while kissing us. It’s precious and I could let you give me sugars all day!

--You aren’t crawling… yet! ;)

--You are rolling both ways. Even though you can’t crawl, you can roll and “skooch” yourself pretty much anywhere you want to go.

--You say “da-da-da-da-da!” Your dad swears he’s heard you say “Ma-ma-ma,” but I haven’t heard it yet!

You are the sweetest, most precious baby boy in the whole wide world and I consider myself the luckiest Momma in the universe! I love you, little man!