...in which L is concerned that whomever is raising her child isn't doing such a great job

Lately L has become slightly concerned about the raising of the Peanut. Who's in charge of this anyway? When does the organization who will make evaluations and then give feedback arrive? When all is said and done, who is L allowed to complain to about the way things are being run?

It often seems that 'Nut wakes up each morning with a checklist of things that drive L crazy, and tries to complete as many items as possible. In addition, the 'Nut has managed to turn many exciting and cheerfully anticipated milestones into befuddling, and often concerning quirks.

For Example:

L and Ox used baby sign language with the 'Nut. This resulted in his early development of language but not speech. He is just now really into the 'repeating stage' (note: this has resulted in many asides with L's younger sisters about appropriate language) that L has been looking forward to so much. However as a necessary nod to his title of  'World's Orneriest Baby', 'Nut prefaces every repeated phrase with the word 'No'. i.e. (said by L) "Peanut would you please pick up your magnet letters" = (repeated by Peanut) "No Peanut pick up magnet letters"... (L again) "We need to wait for Bapa to get home before we eat" = (Peanut, don't forget the whine in the voice) "No need to wait for Bapa to get home before we eat". The repetition has reached quite impressive heights in both length of phrase repeated and pronunciation of words but all the good is overshadowed by the sheer orneriness of the reply. And as an added bonus this adorable little tic is not limited by things he doesn't want to do, or even things said to him. The other, particularly joyful, day while L and 'Nut were in the car listening to the radio the town Stillwater was mentioned by the DJ and Peanut could be heard, shouting form the back seat, "No Stillwater!".

Another Example:

Now L doesn't remember being a very imaginative child herself. So, she has been very excited for Peanut to reach the phase where he imagines things himself. She can still fondly remember the day, not too long ago, when she found 'Nut pretending to be a lion. How precious! However, 'Nut doesn't seem to be inclined to imagine himself in any scenario where he is not the 'bad guy'. He is the monster attacking you, his friends, his mom, the dogs; after watching Bug's Life he was a grasshopper; he is a tiger trying to eat you; he is a dragon destroying your crops and home; he is a shark attacking the little Nemo fish. The other day after reading a book about sea creatures he attacked L both in the guise of an 'evil octopus' and an 'evil shark'. The only 'good' character he plays is Bapa (Dad) to L's oldest, falling apart baby doll, who he renamed Eva, and carries around like a queen.

L fully expects to, someday soon, turn this post in as a record of how things are going so that Peanut's pay and benefits may be docked accordingly.

The Dreaded Photo Post

OK I blame no one for refusing to wait for this page to download and moving on. If you're still interested here are the 1000 most recent photos of my legume. 

Peanut is all about hiding right now. We recently moved around our living room furniture and now there is a perfect place to hide behind the couch. Peanut loves it.

Chick-fil-a is one of the best food places for kids. We haven't been in quite a while but this is Peanut in a random hat he found in the cubbies. Yea for not contracting lice!

Yes that's a cowboy hat. He also has real boots we actually paid for. I'm as surprised as you that I'm ok with this, but come on, we live in Oklahoma.

Who doesn't have a picture of their baby in a laundry basket? 

Yea summer is almost here! Old Navy flip flops make me happy. 

A picture missed in the Science Museum post. Mad Scientist anyone?

This is what happens when the house is too quiet. Ewwwwwww!

 Coloring eggs for Easter with Aunt Wendy. He made amazingly few messes, however all his eggs were cracked.

 The Saturday before Easter on our way to Aunt Josie we had to stop for eggs etc. Peanut love grocery store horses and luckily most around here are free of way cheap.

 Surprise. Not just plastic eggs to hunt for..these have candy!

 

 Peanut and I already have to compromise about his clothing. This vest is often the compromise. I get to pick out weather appropriate clothing and he puts the vest on top.

 So I make an 18 month old play outside in the backyard with only the dogs for company...and I baby gate him out...and I force him to show me his dirty hands so I can take a picture before I let him in...your point?

 It's not on!

 Wouldn't be a picture post without a naked picture.

 A couple of weekends ago we went to the Renaissance Fair with Tio Kit. It was great fun!

At said Renaissance Fair, Peanut drinking a ridiculous amount of homemade root beer and cream soda mixed. 

 After said Renaissance Fair the two boys, all tuckered out.

 Once again, the house gets too quiet while L is doing laundry. She returns to find the Peanut here. He won't get out. She takes out dry laundry and puts in cold wet laundry. He is not deterred. Should she start it?

 This used to be an entire loaf of homemade bread. This is what happens when Peanut gets his own breakfast.

 A couple days ago a zoo trip with L, Peanut, Grammie, Rachel, Cal, Madi, Katie Mae and Aunt Em:

Cousins

 The gorilla loves Peanut.

 Hiding off the path the second L turns her back.

 A much needed water break in the middle of the zoo trip.

A Peanut and his Bapa.

There you go. More pictures in one post than most of us born before 2000 have for our entire lives.

Sorry my kid hates you...

So we have a problem...Peanut hates his doctor. From the moment we pull up to the office he is suction cupped to me. When the nurse comes in he in ornery. But when our doctor comes in he literally screams the whole time. I don't quite understand it. Dr. makes sure he's not there when shots are given out. He rarely forces anything, although of course he had to check ears when Peanut had his ear infection that lasted for eternity. He's friendly and nice (and I personally think he's cute) but Peanut can't stand him.

I wasn't really bothered until this last appt. But amid all the screaming I couldn't help thinking I should ask to see Dr.'s wife (also a doctor). I really don't want to trade doctors. I think I need to find something between now and Peanut's  next appt that will help him be more comfortable with Dr.. Any ideas? I was thinking of a puzzle or sticker book made from Dr.'s picture???

See doesn't he look nice with his wife, Lady Dr.?

Instead we...

Well last Tuesday was supposed to be 'Clean the Bathroom Day', instead I took Peanut and his cousin Madi to the OKC Science Museum.


First, the ride there. I'll admit it was the hardest part. If you don't know I live 35 miles from Rachel (and Madi). So Peanut and I drove there, picked up Madi, dropped off books due at the library, dropped off promised bread at the Institute and then finally got on the freeway for the 60 mile (hour and 15 min) drive to the Museum. By Guthrie (30ish minutes from Stillwater) the kids were already done. 

Madi was quiet and grumpy. Peanut was loud and grumpy and had somehow managed to get his arms stuck awkwardly in the car set straps.

Luckily I had a few tricks (and treats) up my sleeve. We stopped at a gas station, got out the satsumas Rachel had packed and readjusted toys and snacks (and Peanut's arms). 

On our way...again.

However once we got to the museum everything went wonderfully. Both kids were amazingly well behaved and stayed close and played a lot and went to the bathroom when they were supposed to, and LISTENED. I don't ever expect this to happen again but it was a marvelous one-time occurrence.

They played together which was wonderful and unexpected. We love having cousins around but the one problem has been slight bullying. Madi bullies Peanut, Peanut bullies Cal etc. Thankfully everyone is soft with Baby Katie Mae. 

But on this trip no bullying or grumping. Hallelujah!

They played in the water, had their faces painted (note: I am not a professional face painter) and just seemed to have a great time. 

At one point we tried to see a show but it was more geared toward older kids so Peanut was bored and Madi got was scared (it was about explosions). So instead we went and had lunch.

(insert missing lunch pictures here)

After lunch we played for about an hour longer and then packed up and headed home. I love the freedom of a yearly pass! No feeling bad about only going for a half day- especially since kids this little can't stand more than that.

On the way home we stopped at Freddy's Frozen Custard to see my sister, Wendy. I got Peanut and Madi one mini vanilla custard with gummy bears to split. The mess Peanut made with his half was incomprehensible. He honestly got more custard on him than there was in his cup- I'm sure of it. We ended up striping off his shirt. Yes, I was that mom.

Madi chose to be the good child and ate carefully while coloring her picture. She was super excited when the manger posted it immediately. 

Then the ride home, where blissfully both children fell asleep. All in all a wonderful day. I can't decide if I should do it again because it went so well or leave it a perfect memory...

Happy Pi Day!

Yea for Pi and pie! Today to celebrate we had dinner (and dessert) with Jeanne, Brad, Rachel, Madi, Cal and Katie. We had Cottage Pie for dinner.

Then for dessert we had Chocolate Buttermilk Pie, Sour Cherry Pie and Coconut Cream Pie. So good!

 

Then two little cousins had to take a bath. How do you get coconut in your ear?

Also Katie Mae smiled at me today...

 

So happy times, yes?

But oh last night...

It started off innocently enough, with Peanut doing some sort of half-nudie photo shoot

then moved onto soon-to-be-regretted tattoos

and finally moved onto the saddest event...

the 1st real haircut...

I'm not ashamed to say I cried. Since Ox was the one who actually held the clippers he did penance by cutting off his own hair (sorry no photos). 

Then came the moment that chills the blood. 

There she was, an innocent, madonna-like mother, laying (or is it lying? I can never remember) in bed, practically radiating love and peace, when she was set upon by the testosterone in the house. 

Held down by both her Cute-faced lovey and the fruit of her loins and tortured. They overwhelmed her. The small one sat on her chest and snuffled her chin and neck, the initiator grabbed at sides, waist, arms, legs. She was overcome. 

Eventually came the cry that she fears will become (at yet one more point in her life) her mantra, "LET ME UP OR I'M GOING TO PEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!".

Outnumbered.

Just in case...

you thought I was holding a grudge against the cute trouble-causer living in my house- here are some of his latest activities:

Peanut at the park. We have to have some way to get all that energy out. Amusingly, he hates getting dressed but loves socks, shoes, hats and jackets (and is very particular about which he will wear) - guess he just wants to be naked in the middle.

The Scout fundraiser (Nate's Scoutmaster) is recycling cans this year. Peanut helps.

We got a year pass at the OKC Science Museum this year. Last week we went with Grammie, Aunt Rachel and the cousins. There was lots of other fun stuff the kids loved (including a huge slide) but this was the only thing I got a picture of. This is Peanut and his cousin, Cal.

This is 'Nut insisting on feeding himself. It also proves that although he looks almost identical to me as a toddler he has someone else's genes in there cause I never, as much as I wanted, had lips like that. Also, he has crazy hair. What can I say?

Ox got an Ox-sized bike last year. This year we got a bike trailer. Everyday after work Ox and Peanut go out for a ride together. Ahh peace.

For Easter this year Peanut got a Radio Flyer Steer and Stroll Trike. What? It's not Easter yet? Well someone (not 'Nut or I) got too excited to wait. I wasn't sure if I was going to enforce helmet wearing on the trike but we had made such a big deal out of the Special Helmet Hat required to ride in the trailer that Peanut just automatically put it on for the trike.

Just being crazy and cuddling with the dog blanket. Why yes, that is a hideously ugly couch he's sitting on. We're just following the married less than 5 years AND have kids so required to have an ugly hand-me-down couch rule. Hope none of you are breaking it- I'd hate for them to get you.