Pearly Whites

Dear Ian,

In keeping with the tradition of using this blog like your baby book, I have another "first" that belongs in your history.  The other day, November 22, we went to your very first dentist appointment.  Like I know I've mentioned before, you like to chew on the corners of your Loveys when you get tired or feel a little insecure, and because of that, your Daddy and I wanted to make sure that nothing was going on with your teeth as a result of this chewing habit.  We also just wanted to make sure that your little teefers were coming in correctly and that there were no issues with our brushing.  We brush every morning and every night, and we have a pretty good little routine.  First we give you the brush with a little tooth paste and let you "brush" first while we comb your hair.  Then, we "help" you finish up.  Daddy has been our resident tooth-brushing-helper in the morning as of late, because I'm usually running around like a loon trying to get your lunch packed, get myself dressed or whatever.

So, after a little research and a conversation with our dental insurance provider, we were directed to Dr. Carey's office right around the corner from our house.  Our appointment was set, and then Daddy and I started your mental prepping for the visit.  For days and weeks before your visit, we talked about how the dentist was a doctor for your teeth, and that when we got there, they would need you to open wide like an alligator and let them count your chompers. 

I guess we did an ok job with this brain-washing, because you did a GREAT job at your first dental visit.  We were called to the back, and Miss Dawn, the hygienist, first "painted" your teeth to see if there were any spots that we needed to brush better or focus on.  Congrats to your Daddy, because she said that your teeth were super clean!  And you were very tolerant of this new experience.  Then, while Doctor Carey came over and talked to me, you got to practice brushing with a huge toothbrush on a stuffed monkey with funny teeth.  You really seemed to enjoy that!  Then came the actual tooth cleaning.  Again, I was a little worried about how you would react to this new thing, but you took it all in stride.  While you sat on my lap, Miss Dawn demonstrated how her spinning tooth polisher worked, and then she cleaned your teeth.  You were such a big boy.  You didn't cry or wiggle or anything.  I was one proud Mama.  Finally, after Doctor Carey came back and looked at your teeth with his little mirror, it was time to go.  As a reward for your great behavior, Miss Dawn took you to the treat table, and you got to pick out a toy car and a sticker.  You were so excited about these, and you talked about them the whole way to school. 

Today in the mail, we got a neat letter from your dentist's office welcoming you as a patient, and with the letter was a picture that they took of you while we were there.  Here's your picture of you practicing brushing your teeth:

Your smiles make me smile, and now that I know that Lovey isn't causing damage, and now that I know that your teeth are shining and healthy, I can smile bigger.  And we can officially say that our first dental appointment is now in the bag!

Love always,
Mommy

Thankfulness...

Dear Ian,

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and while this time of year usually fills me with warm, fuzzy feelings, having you around adds so much to those feelings.  Now, on top of the warm-fuzzies, I have this feeling of being significantly humbled by just how fortunate and blessed I am.

This year, I'm going to do something a little different and actually have a Top Ten list of the Things For Which I am Thankful.  Here we go...

10.  I'm completely fortunate that you are a good napper and give me the opportunity to write down the things for which I am thankful.

9.  Our life is blessed because of the friends we have.  We are lucky people to have so many that we can call on to play with, eat with, borrow from, cry on, and laugh with, and for them, I am totally appreciative.

8.  I am so incredibly thankful for the basic necessities that we have that sometimes we take for granted.  We have a cute, roomy home in which we can live and grow.  It's warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and dusty all year 'round, but it's OUR house, and we make it the way we like it. 

7.  I'm thankful for the fact that we go to bed with full tummies, and that we have enough food that we can occasionally be picky eaters.  There are so many that don't have this luxury, and I hope to instill in you the quality of generosity.  We will be helping with Second Harvest again this year, because I want to make sure that you know there are people that aren't as fortunate as us.

6.  I am thankful for your wonderful little school, your friends and the amazing teachers and support grown-ups that help shape the school, because they are also shaping you.  We again had the luxury of being picky about where you attend and the fact that I was able to stay home with you until your second year, and for that I am thankful, too.  But Advent and it's staff is just another blessing in our lives.  We're so lucky to have found them.

5.  I am so thankful that I was able to find a teaching position at your school as well.  What a lucky turn that was!  No, not lucky.  What an amazing blessing!  The fact that I was able to find a job during this tough time in our country, and the fact that it's at the same school you attend was far too perfect to just be coincidence.  Mommy's prayers were quite literally answered, and I can't begin to mention how many times I've thanked God for the opportunity.

 4.  I am thankful for your grandparents and aunts and uncles.  They provide you with limitless love, and they are always there when we need them.  I'm glad we are all close, both in distance and in relationship, although sometimes it makes holidays a little nutty.  Trying to make sure we spend time with everyone can feel like the Holiday Olympics, but it's a problem I am thrilled to have since some families aren't always that lucky.

3.  I am grateful everyday for the wonderful man that is your Daddy.  Our 10 year wedding anniversary is swiftly approaching, we've been together for 16 years, but I love him more and more every day.  He works hard for our family and for himself (he's very driven), and due to his hard work and diligence, he's able to support us and provide for us.  I'm also very thankful that the economy hasn't been too terribly hard on his business, and I'm appreciative for the new people the company has been able to hire to help lighten his load. 

2.  Also about your Daddy, I'm the most thankful for his patience with you and me.  He's calm when I'm nuts, he's reassuring when you're timid, and he's the foundation for our little family.  He also is just wonderfully kind.  And due to my blood-sugar and occasional lack of will-power, he's dealt with me inflating and deflating more times than a Macy's Day Parade balloon, but still tells me I'm beautiful.  Now that is love, little son, and you remember that.

1. The reason for this blog post, and this blog in general, is you, and for you I am so incredibly thankful.  I cant even begin to tell you how much we prayed for you and fought for you, and the fact that you're here and part of our family still takes my breath away.  I will be honest and say that there are still days when I stop, open-mouthed and think to myself, "I have a son!"  Your smile, laugh, 15-minute-long nonsense conversations and hugs are the sunshine to my day.  I'm such a lucky Mommy. 

I hope that your heart is full and happy, just like your tummy will be tomorrow,

Love always,
Mommy

Works of Art #26

Ooooh, I've gotten behind again.  And it's Thanksgiving time, so your art coming home from school has really put us in the fall mood  First to come home was this really cute brown bag pumpkin that you made!  We had it as part of our post-Halloween decorations on the dining room table.  Super cute!   

Next came the gorgeous stained glass leaves that you made with contact paper and tissue paper.  I love these; they are probably my favorite piece of art you did.  These are currently hanging over your changing table (although we no longer use it as a changing table now that you are potty trained.  YAY!).

Then we have your more Thankgiving-y art:  This first piece of art is either a fall leaf or Indian corn.  When I ask you, you say it's a leaf, so we'll go with that.  Either way, I love the colors!

 

And finally, and most Thanksgiving-appropriate, we have your little construction paper turkey.  He is SO cute!  I'm going to hang him on your wall after you wake up from nap.  I LOVE this little guy!

Here on the home-front, we're still doing art as well, although not as much as we used to do.  Lately we've been working on learning how to cut with scissors, and you've been doing really well with that.  You will make a snip and then tear the paper in a line the rest of the way.  You're on your way to being a great scissor-user.  

We also attempted to make colored noodle Native American necklaces.  I dyed a box of rigatoni noodles different colors, and then gave you a piece of string with a twist-tie needle on which to thread your noodles.  See below:

But then Daddy got involved and showed you that the noodles could also fit on your fingers, and that was WAY more exciting than making some old necklace.  Sigh.  Daddy: what are we going to do with him?!

Works of Art #25

Here's our 25th entry in your Works of Art category, and its' a biggie!  Your class has been working on a project in Art Class where you've been recreating the art of Eric Carle.  So here it is, without any further ado:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?  

Written by Bill Martin Jr.

Illustrated by Ian Brooks

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?  

I see a red bird looking at me.

Red Bird, Red Bird, what do you see?

I see a yellow duck looking at me.

Yellow Duck, Yellow Duck, what do you see?

I see a blue horse looking at me.

Blue Horse, Blue Horse, what do you see?

I see a green frog looking at me.

Green Frog, Green Frog, what do you see?

I see a purple cat looking at me.

Purple Cat, Purple Cat, what do you see?

I see a white dog looking at me.

White Dog, White Dog, what do you see?

I see a black sheep looking at me.

 

Black Sheep, Black Sheep what do you see?

I see a goldfish looking at me.

 

Goldfish, Goldfish, what do you see?

I see...Children looking at me.

Here's your Monday-Wednesday-Friday class.

Nick, Tanner, Keelie, Carson, Luke, Joe, Rhiley, Cole, Spencer, J.R., Liam and you.  

Toddler Life #16

You know you are the parent of a (potty training) toddler...

...when you get into a heated debate over why it's ok to stand to pee pee but sitting is required for the other.

Oy.