Photo series: Soren in the chair

I call this series "Soren in the Chair."

Soren and his friend Tayla -- and stuffed animal friends, too.

Soren reading to Papaw -- wearing Papaw's glasses!

Nice new striped shirt (size 4!) is from Grandma Gloria...

...As is this cozy new bathrobe, which Soren donned this evening after his bath. Jeff pressed him into service licking the whipped cream beaters. Then he and I snuggled up in "The Chair" and read too many stories to count.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends and relations! May you have whipped cream, stories and snuggles, too.

Graduating to the Big-Boy Bed

Drum roll please... Introducing our BIG BOY!

(And doesn't he look it, in his new shades?)

The breaking news is that Soren slept in his big-boy bed last night for the first time -- with no diaper on and the potty chair standing by, but he didn't get up to use it, and the bed was dry in the a.m.!!!

He is really proud of himself. We'll see how Night #2 goes... :-)

Moving the toddler bed up from basement storage was an impromptu decision made late last night when Soren refused to put a diaper on when getting dressed in his jammies. "I'm a big boy; I don't wear diapers anymore," he argued, quite rationally. (He's been fully day-potty-trained since early March.) When I asked (rhetorically) what he intended to do if he had to pee in the middle of the night, he hesitated only a second before replying, "I would call: 'Mo-o-o-ommy, Da-a-a-addy'" (his usual wake-up call from the confines of his crib).

"Um, that doesn't work for me," I told him. "You can't wake us up if you have to pee."

Which logically led to trying out the bed, something Jeff and I had been putting off as long as we could. Except for the nighttime pottying issue, it's so CONVENIENT that he can't climb out of his crib. It has a crib tent over the top and we still use it occasionally for out-of-control time outs. That option is probably defunct now...

Since we haven't disassembled the crib yet, the cute white frame toddler bed is sitting next to it right now, making for a tight squeeze in the L-shaped loft. The hastily made-up rules are:
1) Soren can't climb out of the bed once we say "good night" until morning (we're trying to enforce that this means 7 a.m.);
2) he doesn't have to empty the potty pot if he goes in it;
3) releatedly, he shouldn't climb down the loft ladder in the middle of the night (too dangerous).

When he woke up this morning, he proudly told us, "I followed the rules!"

I fully expected to be awakened by him either needing assistance to use the potty chair, or crying in a wet bed, but he didn't make a peep all night long, and slept 11 hours to boot -- 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

This SORT OF makes up for all the sleep interruptions of the previous 2-3/4 years (!).

OK, since I haven't posted in so long, here are a few cute pix from the month of May:

Soren and friend Django enjoying popsicles today during a rare sunbreak. Note how refreshed Soren looks from his first night's sleep in the big-boy bed!

Father and son, the likeness becoming more and more apparent.

And he may be our big boy, but he's not too big for a bath in the laundry sink yet!

Busy summer times

It's summer and we've been busy! I agonized over the decision to take the months of July and August OFF and not do any consulting work, but now that I'm halfway through this "trial," I see it was the right thing to do. I'm way more relaxed and Soren and I are spending much more time at the beach than would be possible if I was shoehorning client work into our days.

I really needed the lifeline of my professional career when Soren was an infant, but he slept a lot more then, and now I've grown more comfortable in my mothering role and found different outlets for creative expression. Plus, my teenaged babysitter support network unraveled when school let out, and it's a relief not to be piecing together childcare. Maybe I won't go back to "work" in September...we'll see!

This all means I haven't spent much time at the computer, and when I have, I've been cranking out Volume 4 of S'ing Around With Soren (photos from 1 to 1-1/2 years old). Until Aug. 14, you can view the entire book (all 80 pages!) here. (Although if you're on the recipient list--you know who you are--you might not want to spoil the surprise.) I suggest using "Full Screen" view. Yes, that's our Auntie Jill on the cover!

So here are some of my favorite photos from the month of June, to bring you somewhat up to date.
The first ice cream cone in Soren's short life, at a 2-year-old's birthday party. He liked licking the ice cream, but biting down on the crunchy cone was a surprise. He quit then.
Summer in the Northwest means wading in the water up to your ankles! Soren could splash around all day. And my feet eventually go numb, too.
The cutest "First Mate" ever!
Warmer water can be found in our wading pool in the backyard, shared here with Soren's good friend and age-mate Tayla.
Here they are at the sand-turned-water table. Check out the difference between the male and female thighs, even at this age!
Other friends: little Mila, daughter of my old friend Marinka, who lives in Seattle.
Making music at our piano with Satria, a Port Townsend chum.
Did you notice Soren's colorful hands in the previous picture? After reading a book where a little girl painted her toenails, I caught Soren doing this...
Not to worry, he takes frequent baths.
His wet hair makes some wild shapes.
In late June, both sets of grandparents visited together. Soren was thrilled to have Jim, Glory, Nannie and Papaw all at The Roost.
Jeff's parents brought a box of his old Tinker Toys, and the adults had as much fun as Soren with the initial creations. Here's a working swing for the Monkey King.
Speaking of working, Soren can't wait until he can mow the lawn by himself. Here he is on Nannie & Papaw's riding lawnmower in Anacortes.
He did help Papaw out a little.
And on those "June-uary" days, Soren is happy to don raingear and splash in the neighborhood puddles.

Hard to believe Soren will be two in less than a month! He is so accomplished in so many things. Wouldn't you agree?

Have tooth, must eat

Soren's first tooth broke through on Sunday morning, two days after he turned six months old. After two months of heavy drooling, the lower right front tooth popped out anticlimactically. He slept even better than usual the night before! But ever since he has been gnawing frantically on whatever's at hand, and he has also figured out how to squeak his rubber spoon against the new bit of enamel. No, he hasn't bitten me yet while nursing, but I'll let him know that's NOT OK when he does.
These photos were actually taken on Feb. 17, when we tried feeding Soren solid food for the first time. It was pureed steamed carrot, and it didn't really count as his "first solid food," because I don't think any of it made it down his throat! He did enjoy playing with the spoon, however.

This is his newly acquired highchair, a "hand-me-round" from Zia and the Peters girls before that. It has wheels on all four legs and Soren likes to sit in it and be wheeled around the main floor while he plays with toys on the tray. Recently he has been fascinated with dumping objects out of a container and putting them back in, only to repeat the procedure again and again.

This week, on March 4, Soren did eat his first "meal" -- about a teaspoon of mashed ripe banana. He licked small portions off my finger and smiled and wanted more. We kept it up until he got bored and started gumming the highchair tray. Maybe the new tooth helped.
And then I just had to share these photos (from Feb. 9) of Soren in his new bathtub. He graduated from the infant tub, which kept him in a reclining position, to the inflatable duck, which allows him to sit up.
Sore enjoys bathtime so much it has become a part of our nightly routine. We parents enjoy it for the chance to admire our baby's bare bum! Doesn't he look like Calvin (of Calvin & Hobbes) from the back?!
Click here to view a C&H cartoon and see what I mean!

The grandparents approve

Both sets of grandparents have now met Soren and given their adoring seal of approval. Grandma Gloria and Grandpa Jim arrived from Eastern Washington today for a two-day visit, wisely booking themselves a hotel room.
Soren has now lived through two baths in his first week of life. The first he liked; the second he squalled throughout. The very good news is that he is a champion breastfeeder and after my milk came in at the end of Day 4, we have been ascending the learning curve together and enjoying it. For the last couple of nights he has slept for 2- and 3-hour chunks, which is much appreciated.

Aunt Jill is able to stay through Sunday, making her an invaluable "mother's helper" for this first week and a half. She's just finished her first quarter of nursing school and should get extra credit for this! We have also been blessed with meals from friends delivered every other day, which all seem to include chocolate...good call! Thanks to everyone who has sent their congratulations and helped with this transition to parenthood.