Christmas 2020

We just had the best Christmas I think I’ve ever had! It was a little bit different because my in-laws didn’t come home so that was a bummer but totally understandable. However, watching Quinn’s face when he saw his slide on Christmas morning was the best thing ever ❤️. He had a small one that was frankly, quite pathetic to watch him slide on 🤣.it was time to upgrade. We didn’t go overboard with other  gifts for several reasons. He doesn’t know the difference, he lost interest after opening about 4, he didn’t need a lot, we have only one income now, our house isn’t huge, I don’t like clutter, etc., etc. I’m happy with what he got from us and everyone else. Everything was perfect (minus the annoying drum set my dad bought him 🙄🤪). Aside from the gifts from family, we had a few people who went out of their way to make his Christmas special, and I appreciate that so much! Someone who used to attend my yoga classes sent him a card with a little bit of money in it. My great aunt Alice sent him $2,  both of sisters-in-law families helped make it special for him; one sent him a gift and the other sent him a Santa letter. He even got a few Christmas cards addressed to him. Those small things really filled this mama’s heart with joy and I’m so grateful. 

I’m happy to finally have new toys to play with, with him 🤪. I said before that we think he gets bored and this last week, especially, he has wanted lots of extra attention and has had a hard time keeping himself occupied. He’s usually pretty good with our routine and entertaining himself during the times that I need to get stuff done but it’s been a battle lately. However, he’s doing well at following more complex directions, such as “first we do X, then we’ll do Y,” and being able to wait (for short periods of time) when he wants something. I’ve always told him, “Hang on, Mama is doing Z, and then I’ll get what you want,” when he asks for something when I’m busy. I don’t usually just drop what I’m doing to bend to his will, unless, of course, he’s hurt and crying. However, importantly, I always follow through. I think that is essential in teaching him to control his impulses and to know that I will do what I say I’m going to so he doesn’t have to throw a fit to get what he wants. That wouldn’t work anyway but he doesn’t know that yet. He is not a fan of being told, “No,” and cries almost every time 😂. Except for when he doesn’t, and instead says no back to us 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️. The last few weeks have brought big, negative head shakes and verbal noes, alike. The first time he said it, I had to keep from laughing. I told him, “No,” when he was pulling Sophie’s tail and to get out from underneath the table (her safe space). He told me, “No,” right back 🙄. 

He’s on a terrible schedule right now because he’s transitioning to just one nap a day and if it happens too early, he’s a pretty big crank ass for most of the evening, until he finally gives in and passes out around 7pm. That would be fine if he didn’t then wake up, raring and ready to go at 5 am 😩. He went to bed super early one night and a few hours later I was sitting at the kitchen table, working on a felt board for him. I had just let the girls outside and I heard someone walking in the living room. It totally freaked me out for a few seconds until it registered that it was Quinn 😂. It’s kinda scary that he can just get out of bed on his own now. He didn’t even cry or I would have heard him on the baby monitor that’s in the kitchen. He just woke up and came looking for me 😅.

Quinn is in a bully stage; he likes to pinch and push people and dogs. He gets jealous of the dogs sitting on our laps and will pinch and push them. He gets reprimanded for that, of course. Philip played along with him one day as he tried to push him off the couch so now he thinks he’s capable of doing that and tries any time you sit by him. He even tries to push me out of bed, and Sansa, too 🤦🏻‍♀️. When he’s not trying to domineer, he can be the best cuddle buddy and lay forever. There are some days when that’s what he needs. Other days, he asserts his imagined authority by chasing and terrorizing the dogs with that damn duck toy I told you I hated and then didn’t hate but now hate again 🤣. Thanks for that, Nathan and Carly 🤪. Really, he just likes chasing Sophie, with or without frightening toys. I tell him it’s only fun if both parties think so, otherwise it’s just bullying. 

He’s still “washing dishes” several times a day and I’m not excited for the day when he learns to operate the faucet on his own. He probably already could but he can’t quite reach it. For now he just yells my name to get me to turn it on or off. 

We read ‘Llama Llama Red Pajama’ about 50 times a day. I remember when I liked that book 🤪. Quinn repeats EVERYTHING now and often picks out a word on each page and repeats as we read (hair, sink, etc.). He also gives the book a kiss and then me one at the end, and then lays his head down for the last page, which reads, “Baby Llama goes to sleep” 🤣. He’s learning so many new words that we now have to spell both bath and walk in this house, one for his sake, and one for the girls’. He loves getting a bath and they love going for a walk. You don’t say either of those words aloud unless you’re prepared to do them 😉. We’re working on colors and he can sometimes find or identify blue objects but I have yet to decide if they’re coincidental or not 🤷🏻‍♀️😅. He says two 2 word sentences. The first, I told you, happened on Thanksgiving, and he said, “poop stink.” We have a leash holder that looks like the back end of a dog and the tail is bent up to hold the leash. When he points to it, we tell him that’s a “dog butt” and he now says that and wants to play with it 🤣. “Poop stink” and “dog butt.” We couldn’t be more proud 😉🤪. He’s mastering naming most major body parts, including ones on other people. I was taking a quick bath the other day when I didn’t want to wash my hair and of course, Quinn was right beside me, outside the tub. He’s still obsessed with belly buttons so while I’m trying to do a quick wash, he’s poking my stomach and saying, “belba” (belly button). I’m like, ‘Uh huh, ok please move your hand so I can finish,” and then he poked my boob and said, “ball.” 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤣🤣🤣🤣

🤣. 

Dog butt 😉

Quinn loves playing with his lid pictures I made and those are, by far, the best thing I’ve ever made. Especially during a pandemic, when we don’t see people as often as we’d like. He can identify several people and has even started to notice them in other pictures around the house. Some days he chatters none stop and it can be amusing. Some days it’s not amusing. One of my biggest pet peeves is being interrupted and his chatter and impulse “needs” habitually grow around the time Philip gets off work, so having a conversation can be challenging. 

Speaking of challenges, a few days ago he left a path of destruction everywhere he went. If I was cleaning up, he was tearing out; picking stuff up over his head and throwing it like Mario chucking turtles 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️. Someone tell me this phase won’t last! 🤞🏻 He also climbs on EVERYTHING 🤦🏻‍♀️. He went into this room one day and I didn’t hear him for a few minutes so I went to check on him. This is what I found 👇🏻

I was careful not to let him see me take a pic because I don’t want to encourage it. Ugh. 

Climbing in his signature outfit- diaper and shoes 🤦🏻‍♀️.

One year olds have the worst eating habits, sometimes eating everything in sight, sometimes eating nothing but crumbs they find on the floor 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️. Philip said he found a snack in the bottom of the wagon and ate it when he pulled him in it up and down the driveway the other day. I said that was ok, we have to strengthen his immune system somehow, since he doesn’t get exposed to many people 🤣. Really though, on the days he’s willing to eat more than just the dry pasta I let him scoop and pour with, he’s very adventurous in trying different foods. He loves Mexican food, including salsa and chicken tortilla soup, also, chicken lo mein, cheesesteak hoagies (meat), and chili. Weirdly, he doesn’t like mashed potatoes or bread. We think that’s more about texture than taste. He likes to sit on one of our laps during dinner. He’s really good with Philip and eats with him. He steals my fork, tries to mess on my plate, and feed me 🤬. Why do kids always give their moms so much shit?

Looking cute in his hand me down hoodie from cousin Link, while riding in his wagon, which was gifted to me by my friend, Holly 😊. We’re getting lots of use out of it! 

Speaking of food, I made a quick trip into Walmart the other day (I do grocery pickup but sometimes you can’t get everything on there 🙄) and walked past the display of discount cookies. I couldn’t leave them there all sad and at risk for being trashed so I bought them. They were the least flavorful cookies I ever had. I asked Philip to eat one just to make sure I wasn’t losing my taste. You know it’s 2020 when you question whether your discount cookies just suck or you have Covid 🤷🏻‍♀️. 

I can tell you one thing I’m thankful for that COVID made necessary and that’s the offering of pick up services at most major retailers. Aside from wanting to avoid people, it makes shopping with a toddler a breeze! I don’t have to waste my time shopping (although I love shopping at some places...alone 😉🤪), and I don’t have to get a baby out of the car or fight with him to get him to stay in the cart. It’s great! Walmart and other grocery stores were already offering these services but others weren’t. I am truly thankful for making my life a little easier. I was able to order Christmas gifts and go pick them up at the highlands last week. I planned to take Quinn with me but Lori very generously offered to watch him. I had a pleasant drive while checking out the newest Taylor Swift album 😊. If our local Walmart hadn’t blown a breaker and canceled my pickup order, causing me to have to shop for my own groceries elsewhere, I could’ve been up and back in under 2 hours!

He had a good time hanging out with his cousins while I did my pick ups. We both listened to Taylor Swift 😊.  

We all enjoyed our white Christmas, even the girls! Sansa keeps going out and rubbing her face in snow 🤦🏻‍♀️. I’m glad the ground finally froze so I don’t have to clean up muddy paw prints every time they go outside. Ya know, like every 5 minutes 🙄. We haven’t gotten to walk for a bit though so they’re more than ready to get outta this house. Soph is doing well going back in her crate when we leave. She even lays in there sometimes when we’re home 🤷🏻‍♀️. I’m enjoying her being in there because 1) I don’t have to worry about her tearing things up and 2) I don’t get attacked when I first come in the door. She goes nuts when she gets let out though but at least I can have my hands free of toddler then 😆.   

Quinn also likes soph’s cage. No, I didn’t put him in there. I also didn’t close the door. Although, some days it’s tempting 😉🤪. 

Another time. 🤦🏻‍♀️

And another. Pretty sure she went in there to get away from you, Bud 🙄. 

Quinn is learning to feed the girls 😊. 

I finally finished my dog gallery in the hallway with photo tiles from Snapfish. It’s a progression from baby Sansa to baby Sophie to both being big girls. 

From 2 to 3 kids 😉. 

I apologize I don’t have a repurpose or organizing tips for you this time. I’ve been busy, like all of you, I’m sure. Don’t worry though, the new year is coming and I’ve got some decluttering and side hustle goals so I’ll have plenty to share 😉.