Turning One: What it Means to Alex

This milestone birthday is marked by walking (confidently, quickly and steadily), pointing (to needs and wants), raising arms (as if to say touchdown), eating Lasagna (the real stuff from Larosa’s), slam dunking (in an athletic, musical hoop by Little Tykes), driving (in his Cozy Coupe) and giving up the bottle (down to just 2 a day).

And for those keeping track, his 12 month check up vitals are also steady. He weighed in at 26 pounds and 12 ounces and has grown to 30 and ¼ inches tall.

Turning One: What is Means to Mommy

One year is finally here. This was something I had been looking forward to since our trip home from the hospital, but it became something I was dreading since two weeks ago. It seems with each new day, week and month I notice one thing: Alex’s cognitive skills are developing ... and fast. So sorry to get scientific, but there is no better way to describe it.

I was not ready for him to open the refrigerator and point to his yogurt ... because it means he remembers I put it there last night. I was no ready for him to pull a family picture off of the end table and smile at his Aunt Jen ... because it means he remembers the fun he had with her last Wednesday. I was not ready for him to be standing across the room and run to me with open arms when I said “come give mommy a hug.” Because this action obviously means 1) he knows who mommy is, 2) he has moved beyond just walking and 3) he can show affection. This can’t be happening yet! I was ready for him to get big – which was suppose to mean just larger diapers, more food and less naps – but I guess it really meant he would turn into a little person.

And with these rapidly growing cognitive abilities has come an emerging independence. Now toys, neighbors and the guy at the check-out counter at Kroger’s are all as interesting – if not more – than me. Andy say’s I am going through a reverse separation anxiety. And he may be right. There is something to feeling needed, and there is so much satisfaction in taking care of someone. But there is something about letting go and seeing him run up and down the back hallway at Beef O’Brady’s with Allison, Tyler and Kaitlyn, while I can sit at a dinner table and enjoy an adult conversation. So I am ready to do it if it means he is acting his age - 1 year and 2 days - but only if he promises to slow down a little bit … in the back hallway and in life.

Turning One: Time to Celebrate

As a Foley (or Muse), you never need an excuse for a party, but we had plenty of reason to celebrate this past weekend. Alex hit the 12 month mark, which called for a special family event on Saturday night– uniting both sides for the first time since our wedding. Alex found himself surrounded by proud Great Grandparents, playful cousins, whipped sugar icing cake, little boy toys and Larosa’s pizza.

On Sunday (which was his actual birthday and Mother’s Day), we celebrated with a trip to Great American Ballpark. Although the Reds could not produce a win, we had fun, and Alex actually sat still through 10 innings of baseball (figured it was tied after nine). But with enough goldfish, organ music and fanatic fans clapping, Alex stayed mesmerized with his new surroundings guaranteeing a good time and a second trip to the ball park.

Click here to see more pictures from Alex’s Birthday weekend.

A Mother’s Day

If anyone could document a mother’s day, then you would question whether they were actually a mother. Your day is in motion from the second a sigh, babble or cry comes over the monitor signally your baby is awake. From there it is minute by minute pandemonium, with just short breaks – only if he insists on feeding himself the bagel or actually succumbs to a nap – to catch your breath.

So there is no time for hourly journaling to sum up a typical day, but I did find this paragraph from an article on Baby Center that at least captures a snapshot of it:

“It was raining, raining, raining all day, and we couldn't go out to the park. It was even too cold to go sit on the porch and blow bubbles. Violet's a normal infant, so her idea of what's fun changes about every three minutes. So we sing, then we talk to the kitty, then Mommy sings a song using the hand puppets, then we rearrange the furniture and cruise in a circle around the living room, then we play with the bags of pasta in the pantry drawers, then we look at Mommy's shoes, then we pretend to call Daddy on the toy telephone — and when I look at the clock, oh my God it's only been 20 minutes.”

I had to laugh when reading this because it totally mirrored Alex and I’s last 30 minutes, in which we danced to his favorite song, banged on the living room blinds, jumped on the puppy, chewed on his socks, practiced sticking our tongues out, flipped through Hop On Pop and pushed the high chair around the kitchen. Now just image those activites times 12!

But by no means am I complianing or trying to brag about my daily baby work-out. However, it does make me wonder … what was I doing with all my time one year ago?

So Happy Mother’s Day to all and I hope your Sunday is not a mother’s day, but a day for Mom.

Road Trip to Indianapolis

One of the selling points to moving back to Ohio was that we would have more time and money to travel. We had visions of touring Europe with Alex in a backpack, sailing around the Caribbean with Alex in the baby pool and jet setting to Hawaii with Alex in first class screaming. But given our house in Colorado still hasn’t sold, we are starting out small (and cheap) by letting him get to know the tri-state region.

After already conquering Columbus, Dayton and Lexington, we headed west to the city of Indianapolis. No, we did not visit the Brickyard or the Children’s Museum. Instead, Alex spent a fun-filled day with his buddy Mason McLarty and countless other tykes, as Keith and Stephanie were visiting from Maine. Keith’s brother Brandon hosted an all-day cookout, which featured riding toys, balls, swings and naps for the little ones and corn hole, beer, basketball and a fire pit for the grown ups (Jimmy and Meagan Kantor also made the trip, so the West Side population must have taken over). Once again, it was great to see the little guys interact, and this time, fight over baseball and a 14-month old little girl.

Who needs a plane or cruise ship to get to good times like these?

Alex is on Bengals.com

Looks like someone else other than us (and Alex’s grandparents) thinks that he is cute enough to be on the web. Alex has made the Bengals Fan Fun Page. We took this photo after last year’s Bengals playoff game, when they suffered a heartbreaking loss to Pittsburg and Carson Palmer suffered a season-ending knee injury. It’s been a long winter for orange and black fans, but after last weekend’s draft and Alex’s spotlight on the web, we are getting an early dose of Jungle Fever. Who Dey!

Spoons and Such

Forget about Toys R Us and go to Bed Bath and Beyond for your next baby shower gift! Alex is proving the age-old tale that common household items can be just as exciting – if not more – than all those focus-group designed and motor-skill developing toys that are marketed to us from the day the Target Toy Department Gods found out we were pregnant.

Alex’s item du jour: an extra large plastic spoon. I have to admit, I don't know what the spoon is suppose to be used for in the kitchen (it is really big, somewhat flat and has slots), but Alex seems to have discovered an alternative purpose. According to this 11 month old, the spoon should be waved, chewed on and banged against the floor. In addition, it is good for poking the dog and scooping up left over cheerios. Over the past week, his liking of the spoon has grown into an attachment, as it now accompanies him in the high chair, in the bath and in his Cozy Coupe II. The spoon is also in hand while Alex is doing laps around the house and while sitting on the foyer throw rug for some quiet time. And like any security item, when it can’t be found or is taken away (for a good cleaning), we hear all about it.

Who would have thought this simple, non-musical and colorless piece of plastic could stir such emotions in a boy?