Crawling with the Big Dogs

We had to head over to an area mall this morning to get Katie a hair cut, so Mom rewarded the kids with some time at the mall's play yard. This was Michael's big moment....it was his first visit to a huge inside playground, when he could actually crawl around and explore. (Can you tell from the picture that he RELISHED in the experience?) Because of a little separation anxiety, he never strayed more than 2-3 feet from Mommy and a guy who he thought was Daddy (oops!). But he had fun weaving between all of the crazy toddlers and preschoolers running around him. (Whereas Katie would have been scared to death of the big kids, Michael had no fear.) He also made it a point to locate any stray crumb or fuzzy to promptly pop into his mouth. It was a veritable wonderland for a novice mover-and-shaker.

At Bay For Now

Traci figured out a (very temporary) trick to keep the usually mobile Michael happy and safe at the playground: just plop him into some nice, tall, cushy grass. Whereas he will already move through several rooms by the time you blink an eye at home, he's a little leery of the green, leafy stuff surrounding him in this picture. I even tested him by dangling enticing things like my camera, keys, and sunglasses to see if he would crawl on over. Thankfully, at least for today, he wouldn't move. He just happily sat with his toys and watched all the kids on the playground. Speaking of the other kids, can you spot Katie in this picture?

Cereal Killer

This is what happens when Katie leaves her bag of Cheerios unattended for 30 seconds. Coincidentally, despite this initial look (upon being caught in the act), it was the happiest moment of Michael's day. There was a feast to be had...

Not to be outdone by her younger brother, Katie found her own way to add to the chaos!

Back to Pool

 

Summer has officially arrived in our book! We have joined a swimming pool since Katie was such a fish last year. It opened up on Memorial Day weekend and we headed there today, as well, in order to try to beat this humidity. Tomorrow, if the storms hold off, we may head there as a family and introduce Michael to the pool. Judging from his recent baths, we have no doubt that he'll enjoy it. P.S. The pool has batting cages and mini-golf right next door. Bonus for daddy!

Pearly Whites

Today was the day we had been dreading for six months....Katie's first dental appointment!! For those who are not familiar with our daughter's disposition, let's just say that she gets VERY vocal and water-worked whenever she has to face a new, unfamiliar situation. Just before Katie turned three, we decided that we should finally bite the bullet and get her to see a pediatric dentist. All of our friends recommended the same dentist, but we had to wait SIX MONTHS (!) to get her in as a new patient. So, needless to say, we've had some time to get her prepared for today's appointment. Traci was worried that her biggest fears would come true as she had to carry a tantruming child into the exam room after Katie's name had been called. But, the dentist and nurses all gave her a knowing smile that said, "Oh, she ain't nothin' we haven't seen before..." Traci still doesn't quite now how she did it, but the dentist had everybody at ease within minutes of entering the room and Katie never cried again. Maybe it was the dentist's gentle manner, or her princess mirror, or the stickers, or the fact that Katie got to sit on Mommy's lap for the entire exam, but everything went off without a hitch. We all got an A+ for limiting Katie's juice intake, flossing her teeth every day, and preventing any cavities (so far). Unfortunately, the dentist did say that she would need braces someday, without a doubt. (Thanks for the genetics, Mike!) When all was said and done, Traci actually had to drag her out of the waiting room because it had so many cool toys and books. Not bad for her first time...... When should we start explaining the X-rays that will be taken in December?

Moments Before Destruction

Godzilla ain't got nothing on our little boy! You build, stack, or arrange anything in the vicinity of Michael, and he is sure to destroy it within 3 seconds. This definitely spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E when a certain 3-year-old is trying to build block castles for all of her princesses. (She's so particular about them that she has designated certain colored blocks for certain princesses.) So, what's a parent to do? For the time being, you just keep pulling Michael to the other side of the room, which buys you about a minute or so before the little monster comes back for more. At least we're all getting our exercise!

Crawl, Baby, Crawl

Just wanted to give you a visual update on Michael's crawling skills. His efforts were hampered a bit this past weekend as we was slowed by a low-grade fever. But, today, he made a big-time crawling comeback, getting all around the house. Although he still moves a bit slowly and awkwardly, he's getting better with his balance and fluidity. For him, motivation is the key. His Top Five Crawling Motivators:

5.) Anything made of paper, all the better to chew and swallow

4.) Electrical wiring, but of course

3.) His jumparoo

2.) Balloons...for some reason, he is obsessed

and....

1.) Anything his sister is currently playing with!!!!! (NO, MICHAEL!)