These are Stratton's favorite words, and rightly so! You have to look really hard, but can you see the puddle? I had just given him a bath and while I was trying to get him dried off I turned my head for one second and he peed all over the closet door and the floor!! AHHH!!! And he thought it was sooo funny!! He did the same thing last night, too! What am I going to do with this boy!?!
He's a mess but he sure is cute!
The boy loves to try on and play with shoes, so Monday afternoon my mom and I ran into Carter's Corner to look at boots. I wanted him to try some on, since he isn't usually with me when I find boots that I think are cute. We just bought size 6 sneakers, but I thought boots might run a little smaller. Nope, he needs a 6 in those as well. What a big foot he has! I have a pair spotted at Hay's in Searcy, a pair of Georgia's that look exactly like Jarrod's I am planning on getting. He thoroughly enjoyed putting all the different boots and stomping around. He looks like such a big boy with boots on!
Finally, it's gotten a tiny bit cooler! We can at least be outside for a little while without dying from a heat stroke! Stratton loves to be outside. We try to take him out, but it's been hard this summer. I am looking forward to the fall and cooler temperatures so we can spend more time outside! See how big Sadey has gotten!! She likes to lick on S's feet and he thinks it's hilarious!
Jarrod went on a Fishing trip with some buddies from college last weekend, so Stratton and I enjoyed a little time at home. Saturday morning it was so nice. We went out in the front yard after breakfast. Well about 20 minutes it started to sprinkle. . then it got harder. . and harder. . and before long I was almost soaked. So, I finally took S in the house, I didn't like being all wet even though it didn't phase him a bit! Here's what he thought about being in the house. . .
Saturday afternoon Isabella and Alexandra came over. They spent the night with us since Uncle B and Christina were going to a concert in Memphis. The girls were great! They just played with Stratton and entertained him! It was awesome! I was proud of myself, I managed to take all three kids to the grocery store, and then I got us all up and to church on time at 9am! I am not ready for three kids!! I have also had my fill of the Disney channel for awhile!
Stratton chillin' in his wagon drinking his juice- with his entourage.
Loving all the attention!
This boy loves shoes! He will busy himself for an hour just trying to put them on!
Stratton has a back tooth coming in, which I am attributing to a lot the drama that has been going on! Temper tantrums, lots of fussiness and BITING- yes, my son is apparently a biter. Last Friday at day care he bit 3 different kids on 3 different occasions. They couldn't even write them all up, because he would have been suspended for a day on Monday. I was told that he bit once when another child laid her head in his lap, once while in line to eat lunch and another time when a bunch of kids were in the floor playing with him. Well, I was shocked when they told me about it on Friday afternoon, I didn't have time to think about what questions to ask. After thinking and talking about it over the weekend we got to wondering how he could be in a line for lunch when he can't even walk on his own. So, Monday afternoon Jarrod went up there to find out what happened and see if they told him the same thing he told me. Well, the teacher wouldn't even come out and talk to him! But the other girl told him what happened and she added some things that I wasn't told like, Stratton was pushing kids down and biting?? --Uh, I don't think so. He can't push another kid! He can't even stand up without holding on to something?--When he asked her how Stratton could be in a lunch line when he can't walk by himself yet, she responded by telling him they hold his hand. . .so, how did he bit a kid when a teacher was supposedly there holding his hand?? She also told Jarrod that they are really encouraging him to walk on his own to help ease his frustrations. When Jarrod asked if they could move him back down to the baby room where the kids are less mobile, she said it was against State regulations? We are very unhappy with the way they have handled the situation and now are wondering if all those bumps and bruises that he gets on a daily basis could be prevented. I mean if they can't watch him close enough to prevent him from biting 3 different kids in one day, who's to say they are watching him at all?? I am at a loss on what to do, how do we stop him from biting and what do we do about day care? He hasn't been biting at home, church or anywhere else and how do you discipline your one year old for something they did at daycare- You can't! They will put him in time out at daycare, which I think just makes it worse. He is biting because he is frustrated at the kids all hovering around him. He teacher told me that he is the youngest and the other kids know it, they try to "help" him and play with him and he just wants to be left alone sometimes and do things himself. He doesn't know how to say "Hey, back-off" So, he bites! When they pick him up and put him by his self it's just reaffirming a pattern- if I bite I get to be alone! This is just my opinion. I think he feels bad, is frustrated that he is the only one in his class not walking and he is tired. They only take one nap a day and I think he does better with two. He is so tired and cranky at night! We are looking into moving him to another day care, one that is less stressful for him, and that will hopefully be more tailored to his personality. I think where he goes now is over crowded and their aren't enough teachers to go around and watch them close enough. They aren't very organized and you never know who is going to be there. The place we are looking at is larger, but has smaller class sizes, very clean and professional looking, all their teachers/aids are ASU Early Childhood Education students, they start the "Your Baby Can Read" program at 12 months, or younger if walking, so I am excited they will actually have a curriculum and not just a schedule. I really like it, but the only downside is it's not as close to our house and it's a little more expensive. He will only be in day till May when he will move to the Montessori School (they have to be 22 months before they can go to Montessori). I just hate to move him from the place and people that he knows and is familiar with, but I want him to be happy and be in a relaxing and comfortable environment. Argh. Being a parent is hard!
Wow the weather has been really nice! I forgot what it was like to be able to sit outside for more than two seconds and not be drenched with sweat! Tonight after work we went to HR so Jarrod could get his boat that was at Uncle Doug & Aunt Kay's house. We stopped and chatted with them for a little while before heading over to my mom and dad's for supper. Stratton had a big time playing in their yard. They got him a swing a few months back that he loves and my dad had set up the baby pool and got out his wagon. Their house is pretty much a toddler's dream. Lots of room to play and run around and lots of things to get into! And a couple of people who do whatever he wants!!
Then we walked over to my grandparents house (well, Stratton rode in the wagon) and visited with them, and Stratton had his first encounter with a frog. It's gross, but when I was little I loved frogs. Especially the baby frogs, I liked to catch them and carry them around in my pockets! Ewww- right?? One night, while picking up and cleaning up, my mom opened my drawer in our bathroom and out jumped a bunch of baby frogs! Haha-I remember the beating I got for that! Anyway, Stratton at first tried to eat it, then he squeezed it (it was actually still alive when we left!) and eventually decided he was scared of it and didn't want to touch it anymore! Can you see his bloody toe on his left foot? He stumped it and it didn't even phase him!
I have heard the cry of the masses!! It's been too long since the last time I posted!! And it's only been 2 weeks!! Time flies. . .when you're busy!! We have been a blowin' and a goin', as Jarrod would say! Stratton has gotten much better at daycare! He has quit crying when we leave him! Yay! BUT on the downside, he did get his first disciplinary form for biting another kid!! Ugh!! He does have a little temper and he has been showing it alot more lately . . .more about that in another post. . .
Here are a few random pics of (what else?) Stratton I have taken in the last 2 weeks. . . .
Oh, I think he might have started his terrible 2's a year early?? He has started throwing a fit and bucking and screaming sometimes when I put him in his car seat! A spat on the leg usually will get him to straighten up, but I am worried that he might be a little more strong willed than I thought.
Don't send me dirty emails. This was just going from my mom and dad's house across the gravel road to my grandparents house! Stratton thought he was big stuff!! He kept his hand on the shifter- haha!
Sunday night after church we went to eat with my parents at Cracker Barrel, where my mom gave him a biscuit with jelly! I don't know if he will ever eat plain bread again- thanks, mom. If you didn't know Stratton had my parents wrapped around his fingers, take a look at this. . .
Last night it was actually tolerable to be outside, so we played in the yard for awhile. We have a pretty nice size front yard, but where does my son want to play. In the flowerbeds on on the sidewalk. Here is Stratton sitting in the flower bed- eating mulch. I don't get the allure of eating pieces of dirty wood? Boys!?!
Ahhh. . .washing that mulch down with some juice! Do you see his poor knees?? He needs to figure out the walking by himself thing to relieve those red knees!!
Jarrod, Archer and Stratton. . .
Saturday afternoon we went to Searcy to have a birthday dinner with Jarrod's family for his dad. Stratton had spent the night with his "Nan & Pa" Friday night and most of the day Saturday Aunt Jennifer and cousin Archer had been at their house, too. They had a garage sale Saturday morning so he had a big day! We got there about 4pm and ran to the new Hays Kid's store- which was really nice, if you haven't been you should go! We made it out without buying anything, too! But I have made a mental list for Stratton's fall and winter wear. One thing includes little Merrell Mocs and Georgia boots (just like Jarrod's- sooo cute)!! I almost had to buy them but managed to convince myself that he wouldn't be able to wear them for a couple of months anyway so I should just wait! haha! I really didn't even look at the women's stuff! That's what happens I guess when you become a mom?!! It's so sad and I never thought it would happen to me, but it has! Margie and Terry grilled burgers and hot dogs for dinner and we brought Gigi's cupcakes for dessert! It was late when we left, and Stratton was sooo tired. When we got home he didn't even wake up! We put his right in his crib and he didn't wake up till morning! I was surprised, most of the time he wakes up when we get home and wants some milk. He did wake up at 5 am, though. So I guess not having that last cup of milk did eventually catch up with him. Sunday was pretty laid back. I actually got to take about an hour nap! I guess the days of my 3 hour Sunday afternoon naps are over!
I decided to try something different and get a body wave! It normally takes so long to blow dry my hair and when it's 100 degrees and you have a one year old that gets into everything, not only do I not want to stand there and have heat blowing on me for 40 minutes, but it's almost impossible unless Jarrod is at home to be able to spend that much time on my hair anyway! My thought was if I got a body wave I could just scrunch it and go- no blow drying! It's working ok. I mean I am definitely saving time, but it doesn't look the way I thought it would. It's much tighter than I thought it would be. I hate posting pictures of myself, but due to insistent demand, I am giving in.
I got a body wave one summer in college, but it was before I met Jarrod so he has never seen my hair even remotely curly-since normally my hair is straight as a board. I didn't tell him what I was doing either! I love to get my hair cut, or colored and surprise him! He liked it, but Stratton didn't want anything to do with me for a little while! So far it's been nice with all this heat and humidity. I am curious to see how long it lasts. If my memory serves me correctly I don't think the one I had before lasted very long, and I probably won't make this my new permanent hairstyle!
