Category Archives: Owen
Pool Day
We had an invite for the beach today, but I just am not ready to take Katie and Owen to the beach. Owen would be fine, but I have no idea if Katie will be a content to sit and play in the sand baby or if she’d be a run up and down the beach baby—and didn’t really have the energy to find out today…so I passed…but invited others over for the pool. One mom came over (the same one who went out to dinner with me on my anniversary) and it was great.
Getting ready for the sun:
This is what happened when I asked the kids to pose. She did and Owen looks like he’s attacking her! 🙂
Unfortunately, Katie was a total crankypants—the first time since she’s started this recent teething episode. But she liked the watermelon (and wanted to share, as you will see in the video).
I finally got out the baby pool we had when Owen was little (Tom just found it before he left):
And it was HOT. And with the running around with the kids and getting the air compressor out of the shed, yada yada yada, I really wanted to go in the pool. Ruth said “Sure, go ahead!” So I did! I spent about 15 minutes in with the kids—and Ruth even got Katie into a swim diaper and then brought her to the pool with us! Then Ruth even got in up to her knees to cool off. It was really, really great and I appreciated it immensely!
A bouncy good time!
We decided to give the bounce place another try since some of the moms were going. Owen HATED it before but that was two years ago so I was willing to try it. I explained it would be like the big water slides but without water. He seemed interested so I kept my fingers crossed.
We walked in and once he saw everything, he was almost vibrating with excitement! YAY!
There was a toddler (under 4) area and Katie spent some time there…
But she really wanted to go with the big kids!
Playing with Owen and some other guests:
Taking a break on Katherine’s lap:
He’s a blur!
I’ll be scheduling Owen’s hospital visit soon.
Today was Owen’s four-month check up with the pediatric GI. Unfortunately, we really haven’t seen much progress.
He’ll have good days and bad days, but pretty much every day he still has poopy underwear. Some of it is a matter of him not wanting to poop (which he admits) and trying to hold it in, but some of it is still the liquidy stuff that I don’t think he can control—which would mean he’s still backed up (impacted). But since he does seem to poop quite a bit (quantity-wise) I just couldn’t fathom that he was still backed up. Also, it seemed to me that when he has normal poops (i.e. not the soft squishy stuff) he has no problem going—he knows he needs to go and he goes and it’s perfect. We gave up on the daily mineral oil after the first few days because it just gave him diarrhea every single day (which is NOT what it was supposed to do).
So in talking with the doc and telling him everything…he said he thinks that Owen is still impacted. Especially when he asked if I felt that Owen was really ever fully cleaned out (like when we did the 8-hour no-food clean out)—like did he ever just get down to pure watery poops—and I said no. He asked if the semi-regular clean-outs after that were any better (we’ve been doing a semi-clean out about every three weeks) and I said no. So he said that if it was HIS son and he was at the four-month mark with no real progress, he would admit him for a hospitalized clean-out. Which could take anywhere from 3-5 days. IN WILMINGTON.
Hospitalization may sound awful, but he assured me they do A TON of them and it’s really no big deal. Some of the worst cases he’s seen? They remove 10# of poop from the kid! He doesn’t think Owen is that bad, but he thinks it’s the best bet to make sure we’re basically starting with a clean slate so-to-speak. He also warned that it isn’t the magic solution, though it can work wonders and a lot of parents said it was a miracle and wished they’d done it sooner. Of course, it won’t help with his emotional issues about not WANTING to poop, but at least we know we’ll be starting from scratch.
At this point, I’m game to try ANYTHING so I said of course we’ll do that. They said they can pretty much get us in whenever, so I just had to figure out Katie care since she can’t stay there with us. I can also stay overnight, but I don’t need to so if I think he’ll be okay then he can stay by himself.
Of course Owen was there listening to all of this and I was worried he would be freaked out or would refuse to go or would have a meltdown…but the doctor said “Kids don’t mind it at all! They can watch TV, movies, and play XBOX games!” Owen’s ears perked up. The doc asked if Owen would mind going to the hospital and he said no—and he actually wanted to go right then and didn’t understand why he couldn’t. 🙂
So I contacted my sitter (the same one we used when we went away for the weekend) because I know her summer nannying job is over, and she said she can do it…so tomorrow I have to call to schedule. I’m hoping for Sunday because I have a dinner outing planned Thursday, an old friend (one of my high school classmates) coming in from out of town Friday morning, and a birthday party and BBQ to go to Saturday. Then just hope it only takes two days and not four or five.
Stay tuned for updates!
Owenisms 25
We were trying to get out of the house and I had Katie in one arm and her diaper bag in the other and the shoes I wanted weren’t on the rack so I kicked out some other sandals and was trying to put them on but I just couldn’t slide my foot under the strap. Owen was watching me.
Owen: Mom, here, let me get that for you.
And he squatted down and held the strap so I could put my foot in. Then he did the second one. What. A. Kid.
Owen had unspooled about 50′ of hose off the deck playing fireman. I told him he had to reel it back in. He was trying and trying and couldn’t get it.
Owen: Mom, I just don’t have enough force.
Me: :!
Owen: I’m going to go play with my Legos. You watch my sister. Tell me if anything happens and I’ll come running.
Me: Owen, can you let Maggie in?
Owen: Moooom! I’m not done talking to my troll!
Owen: Remember when I was this age? [He holds his hand up to his eyebrows.]
Me: Owen, do you want to go outside and play?
Owen: No.
Me: Why not?
Owen: The sky is gray.
Me: That’s okay. It just means the sun isn’t out so it’s not super hot.
Owen: No. I like it better inside. It’s nice in here. The fan is on.
I can’t argue with that!
Hanging out with Katie
Hanging out with Maggie:
Hanging out with Owen:
Hanging out with Charlie:
The best pic I could get of her new outfit from Gramma Jean:
As soon as she sees me toss clean laundry in the chair, she’s over there like a shot. Usually she pulls everything off the chair but today she just played with stuff.
And hanging out with Owen again:
Rainy Waterslide Play Group
The family that had the birthday party this past weekend still had the slide today so they invited us over. Of course, Owen was ALL ABOUT THAT. There were a lot fewer kids there, too, so I just let Katie roam and she had A BLAST. Even in the rain and the mud.
On the way home I asked Owen if, when daddy comes home, he’d rather go to the water park or have a big water slide in our backyard and he wants the water slide. SCORE! That’s much, much cheaper! 🙂
Slice of life
This is what happened when we got home from dinner.
Happy 12th Anniversary!
Happy 12th anniversary from halfway across the world, baby! It feels like just yesterday but also like we’ve been together our whole lives as I can’t imagine my life before you. I love you and miss you desperately!
And this year—after a respectable 11-year run—we FINALLY ended our accidental-turned-scheduled anniversary tradition of having Chinese for dinner. Damn marine corps not offering anything remotely Chinese in Afghanistan today. Hmph.
However.
We’re possibly starting a new tradition as Tom had steak and shrimp…so I figured instead of me just grabbing Chinese take out, I’d go and get steak and shrimp as well!
However.
I didn’t really want to get it take-out (who wants steak and shrimp to cool off on the 20-minute ride home?) but I honestly didn’t want to go by myself (well, with the kids)…so I sent an open invitation to my moms group…and one mom offered to come out with me (well, plus one of her kids). So…YAY for friends! And new traditions!
That said…WOW. I don’t think I’ll be taking the kids out by myself anytime soon. Or if I do, it will be to a FAST FOOD place or somewhere we can get much faster service.
Those of you with small kids will understand—you do everything QUICKLY. You order quickly (you quite possibly even order the kids meals first), you pay the check quickly, and you’re hopefully out of there before the squirming and whining begins. But unfortunately that was not how tonight played out. I fully blame the waitress, who constantly disappeared for loooong periods at every stage of the meal. Tom and I can usually get in and out in under 40 minutes. Ruth and I were there (at the same place) for just under ONE AND A HALF HOURS. Good god.
Ruth was a godsend, though. At one moment when it was a bit of a circus—everyone was noisy, there was too much crap on the tables and nowhere to put anything, Katie had reached for the knife three times in under a minute and was spilling corn all over the floor, Owen was asking for the third time where his milk was (damn slow waitress!), we were trying to share the onion appetizer…all while trying to place our food order—she volunteered to take the kids (my two and her one) for a brief walk so I could have a breather. And then she noticed Katie needed a diaper change so she did that, too.
/sigh
Of course, Owen didn’t follow along quickly enough and then Ruth was too far away for him to chase after so he stayed with me. Then announced he had to pee…so I had to take him back to the bathroom anyway. But then I left him with Ruth and went back to the table as they took a quick roundabout tour of the restaurant and I got to eat three bites of my salad in peace.
Overall it was a great meal—the steak and shrimp were REALLY good. It may have spoiled my usual order at that restaurant as well (I have ever only ordered one single thing every time we’ve gone there). The only thing that could have made it better? To have been able to calmly and slowly eat the yummy meal in peace and quiet—appreciating the food—instead of just shoving in a random bite here and there between managing two kids. Well, I guess that’s technically more than one thing. 🙂
I am so glad to have made a few new good mom friends who just UNDERSTAND and are willing to lend a hand—or supportive meal—when it’s needed.
And on that note… I mentioned that I’d probably order steak every time I went out because I wouldn’t be eating it at home because I don’t grill. And Ruth pipes up “I GRILL!” So I’ll provide the protein and the grill, she’ll provide the actual grilling, the kids can play in the pool…YAY!
Today’s family pile-on
Once again, Owen wanted to sit on my lap. Within TWO seconds, Katie noticed and made her way over. 🙂
Owen’s Poppers
For completing his chore chart last week, he got to pick a reward. He picked poppers.
Wings watching over Owen
Gramma sent back the Fairy minifigure that Owen forgot up there and he was so happy that he put her—with the other winged creature (Bumblebee Girl) that he recently earned—together right next to his bed. You know it was important because they each had to be put on a black base (which he never uses).
M&Ms are exciting!
We got a package from Gramma Jean today and Owen was super excited to open it since I had told him GJ was sending him something.
He thought the shirt was okay, got a little more excited about the growing animals…and then was OVER THE MOON when he realized there were M&Ms in the little container! It’s the little things, I guess. 🙂
The Katie jams were great, too, as we seem to always be running short on them. Thanks, Gramma!
Swimming in the Rain
Owen wanted to go in the pool when we got home from the party…and it sounded good to me, too, since it was still so muggy and I needed to cool off. It had stopped raining but I could see the dark clouds rolling in. The water was actually a bit chilly so Katie and I didn’t stay in too long (I stayed in just long enough to clean out all the grass and bugs) and while we were drying off, it started raining. There was no thunder or lightning so Owen stayed in the pool. He loved it.
Water slide birthday party
Katie took an epic nap so by the time we arrived almost two hours after the party started, everyone was inside for present opening. Owen had been super patient at home so was SUPER excited about the water slide…and not so much about anything else…so as soon as the birthday girl opened our gift, I took him outside (and a friend took Katie).
It was an overcast, rainy, and disgustingly humid day…but he didn’t care at all. And he went right up like he’s been doing it forever (each slide is a bit different and none of it phases him).
Then Katie got wiggly and wanted to walk around.
And was excited to see Owen!
And seemed very interested in the kiddie pool…
Her first time on a swing by herself.
If you listen closely you can hear her saying “Wheee!” 🙂 The video isn’t too long since I wasn’t able to have a hand on her and though she was pretty steady, she was looking around at everything and not reallyholding on.
His first break two hours in!
He didn’t want to leave, but Katie didn’t want to be held and it was too hot to be chasing her around. There were also too many kids running around in a muddy yard who weren’t exactly paying attention to a little one wandering around…
Where’s Owen?
Attack of the Fart Blaster
B rescue!
Owen dropped his B behind the couch, so we had a rescue mission. He does it quite regularly, so he knows to go get the grabber. Katie always helps, too. 🙂
Happy Birthday Gramma Jean
He doesn’t quite have all the lyrics down but it’s still cute.
Cheese and crackers
Sometimes, Owen’s lack of food diversity just gets to me and I force him to try something new. (Well, I couldn’t actually FORCE him but I really lay on the guilt and maybe threaten to take pizza away if he doesn’t start trying and eating more new foods.) I just get tired of the same thing night after night—hot dogs, frozen pizza, or PB&J. And I get tired of making THREE meals (Katie will eat some of what I eat but not everything—she still has her own finger foods).
So, what Owen usually does is take a bite, look excited and say “Mmmm!” and then says “I like it!”…but when you ask if he wants more he says no…99% of the time.
So tonight we went through the rigamarole.
Me: Owen, do you want a piece of cheese? Katie loves it.
Owen: No thank you.
Me: You ate it before and said it was good.
He sees I’m giving Katie a Ritz.
Owen: Can I have a cracker?
Me: Only if you have a piece of cheese on it.
Owen: Oh, okay.
I put the cheese on the cracker and hand it to him. He touches the cheese with his tongue.
Me: Owen, take a bite.
He takes a bite and his eyes light up.
Me: Do you like it?
Owen: Yes! It’s good!
Me: Then eat the rest [three more crackers with cheese].
AND HE DID! Of course, the big test will be to see if he eats it again.
Feeding the ducks!
Since the temps really dropped today (with it being overcast and off-and-on rainy) I thought it would be a good time to go feed the ducks!
Me: Owen, do you want to go feed the ducks?
Owen: No.
Me: Why not?
Owen: Papa isn’t here.
Me: That’s okay. We can still go feed the ducks.
Owen: No! I told you we only go with Papa!
Me: Well Papa isn’t going to be here for a long time, so if you want to go now, we can go. Then when Papa comes down, you can go with him.
Owen: OKAY!
So off we went, with Katie in the stroller (I didn’t have the patience to have her walk and try to contain her by the ponds).
Then there was a female duck that Owen called a baby duckie because it was so much smaller than these other birds. I hope you can hear him in the video—it was windy and he was pointed away from me.
And see…Katie really was with us!
Then Owen told me we had to go to the other water to look for ducks, so we trekked across the course. No ducks. But he wanted to roll down the hill! I convinced him to wait and roll down the big hill that WASN’T covered in duck poop. 🙂
A good time was had by all.
Home Depot Super Hero
Owenisms 24
Mom, I don’t like crabs because they have pinchy hands.
Remember? At the hotel? With the hot square pool? I didn’t like it. It was too hot.
Owen: Mom, guess what?
Me: What?
Owen: Chicken butt!
Me: Oh you stinker!
…
Me: Owen, guess what?
Owen: What?
Me: I love you.
Owen: Awwww!
Me: You know why?
Owen: Why?
Me: CHICKEN THIGH!
Owen: Oooooh! You got me mama stinker!
We were trying to Skype with Tom but his connection was bad.
Owen: What’s wrong?
Me: Daddy’s computer isn’t working.
Owen: Well he needs to fix his computer so we can Skype.
Owen: Mom, lets play restaurant. I’m the waiter. You’re the customer.
Me: Okay.
Owen: What would you like?
Me: A peanut butter and jelly sandwich and French fries.
Owen: You can’t have that—I like that.
Me: Okay, lobster and a Caesar salad.
Owen: Okay, what drink?
Me: Lemonade.
Owen: Lemon-ade.
He goes off with my order.
Owen: I’m sorry, we don’t have lemonade.
Owen was hunting for pieces of his tiny rubber Easter bunnies that got chewed up by the lawn mower today (they were left in the grass).
Owen: Mom! I found an arm! Arms are my FAVORITE!
We were outside since it was FINALLY overcast and cool (probably 75 with no humidity) and I smelled something resembling a fire but not terribly strong. Owen obviously smelled it, too.
Owen: Mama, what’s that smell?
Me: I don’t know, what do you think it smells like?
Owen: MARSHMALLOWS!
Mismatched Owen
This is what happens when I tell Owen to go get dressed and he fails to grab a set I’ve folded together.
But A) he’s dressed, B) we’re not going anywhere, and C) he doesn’t care so it doesn’t really matter. 🙂
Fixing his chore chart
We got Owen a chore chart recently, and we fill it out before bed. I usually do it to move things along more quickly, but tonight he wanted to do it…and here, he’s making sure all the magnetic badges (from the current week) are going the right way (because when I put them on, I just slap them up any which way).
Get it here: Melissa & Doug Deluxe Magnetic Responsibility Chart
Me and the kids
Owen wanted to sit on my lap—and of course as soon as Katie saw it she had to come over, too!
Tongue out:
Tongue in:
Making daddy dizzy
Tom Skyped in just now and I needed to hand the phone to Owen so I could get Katie more milk. Well, Owen doesn’t really understand that he needs to keep his face in front of the camera—he was just carrying Tom around the house. Tom kept telling him to stop because he was getting dizzy (all he could see was the walls and ceiling fan bobbing around). I finally came back and made Owen stand still.
Just like Owen…and daddy!
I found an old box of Owen’s saved clothes and this cammie jumper was in there. As soon as Owen saw it he said “Hey! That’s just like daddy!”
Unfortunately, I can’t find a picture of Owen in it for comparison! 🙁
Busy Day
Today was a busy day.
I enrolled Owen in pre-k (but won’t know if he’s accepted until next week—long story)—which meant an early trip to town (of course with both kids in tow).
Then, since we were already out, we stopped at Food Lion to get Owen’s frozen pizzas (we were totally out). And someone fell asleep on the way home:
Then I made Cocoa Rice Krispie treats…because we were having pool play group at our house. After Katie got out of the pool, she hung out with Connor eating Cheetos:
I gave both kids baths—which Katie is a nightmare flailing about since she doesn’t like to get water on her head or get rinsed off (I was soaked and the bathroom was pretty wet as well).
Then I made the three usual dinners—making theirs first then making mine as they eat (with Owen asking “Mom, are you going to eat dinner?”).
I’m beat. And it’s only 6:30.
Owen’s Rambling Storytelling
It was going on a good 5-10 minutes before I came in and started recording. But once he sees the camera…it just takes off exponentially because he’s telling ME a story instead of having a conversation with his Legos.