Fish sitting

Big guy driving his favorite yellow car with the fish.

Big guy enjoying his new friends!

This summer we are fish-sitting. That's right, we are watching 4 fish and the hubs and I are scared out of our minds. I agreed to watch the fish a few months ago, thinking it would be no big deal. Put some water in the tank, dump the fish in, and feed 'em everyday. No biggie.

But as the day came closer to take the fish home. I started to sweat. What if I kill them? What if big guy knocks the tank over? What if the cat drowns? The sweating became profuse. Tuesday came and I was loading my car with a 20 gallon tank, a stand, 4 bagged fish, and a tote bag of fish items. I'm driving home and call hubs. Me- "Babes, look up online how to set up a fish tank." Hubs- "Why did we agree to this?" Me- "I don't know, a moment of insanity." Hubs- "This is awful, I feel so unprepared." Me- "this is exactly like taking big guy home, we have no idea what the h*ll we are doing!!" Sweat ratchets up.

After an hour of filling the tank, checking on the bagged fish, and lots of cursing (mostly directed at me from hubs), the fish were in the tank! We made it through the first night- they were alive this morning. But now the tank is murky and we are worried. I'll keep you posted. On the plus side, big guy LOVES the fish- he even says Fish now when he goes over and points at them. And the kitty cat loves the fist even more!

Water play

Big guy is obsessed with water. He just loves to play in it. Splashing it around, spreading it out on the floor, drinking it off of the table, making bubbles, playing in the sink, the bathtub, and just recently he discovered the hose! oooh, hours of fun and only the water bill gets injured. And maybe the environment, a little.

Here is the big guy enjoying not only the hose, but also some of his buckets. He has quite the collection now!

Not on my butt!

Here is big guy looking like he's 5!

Big guy had some major diaper rash the other day. Seriously red, very raw, and lots of poop. Not a good combination. I always know when the butt is red if even though he has a huge poop, he freaks whenever I mention diapers. Hysterical screaming and crying and geez, the diaper isn't even off yet. This particular bout lasted a few days. Part of the problem is that big guy is busy and doesn't like to stop and get properly cleaned. Which is normally ok, but not when it's hot out, we play with water all day, and he's pooping like a madman.

It was really sad b/c he screamed during the bath, it just hurts so bad to have the booty get wet. poor thing, I felt so bad. But I calmly explained during the very quick bath, that it had to get soaped up so that it would feel better when it was dry. The only positive side to diaper rash is that big guy gets to run bottomless- which sometimes leads to poops on the floor- ew, I turned around for a second and he had smeared it all over the floor. grrrr.

Big guy's most hated part of the whole diaper rash situation is the desitin. He hates desitin. He knows what the container looks like and freaks when he sees it coming out. So, I use aquaphor on his hiney- the best product on the planet. I use it on every surface of his body. And mine, too! it's the greatest lip gloss. I'm getting big guy ready, he knows it's diaper time and is pointing at the desitin as if saying, "woman, don't even try to put that on me or we will have a full on meltdown!" I calmly hand the desitin tube to hubs who stands across the room (seriously) while I put aquaphor on his diaper zone and then the diaper. Crisis averted!

last day of daycare

Friday brought with it the last day of daycare until september! yay! the elation I felt all day knowing that for the next 2 1/2 months, big guy and I were going to be together everyday was so awesome. I was beaming the entire day. I hate daycare. Probably why I call it school when I say big guy goes there. And I feel bad for all those other kids who are there all day. Hubs and I are very lucky that big guy is there from about 8:30 to 3:15. there are definitely kids there before big guy and stay after he leaves.

Oh well. I'm switching big guy in september to another place. His prospects actually open up b/c he'll be 18 months in august- I just can't believe it. He's such a big boy. I looked at a video of him from last year at this time, when he was 4 months old. Holy moly- he has changed so much. No longer a pudgy little baby. For now, I'm just going to enjoy spending everyday-all day with him. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Sheep... Baaa

Tuesday morning we were doing our normal routine. BIg guy and I were watching the news and drinking our morning cup of milk. We are very serious when we drink our milk! A news story comes on about a vice principal outside of harrisburg who loaned his herd of sheep to the school to cut back on lawn care costs (pun intended!). Hubs and I point out the sheep running through the field.

Big guy pushes the cup away, sits up, and says, "Sheep... Baaaa!" It was hilarious! And quite impressive! Then he continued to Baaaa the whole morning. He's been on it this week with talking about animals. Mooing when he sees cows. Grabbing the pig when I oink at him. Woofing like a dog when we see one. I just continue to be amazed by how much he learns everyday.

big steps

Big guy has moved onto another impressive level in his walking. He has figured out how to walk up and down the one step from our kitchen to the family room with no hands needed. WHen big guy was first walking up and down the step- hubs and I would yell, "be careful!" as he would get down on his butt and scoot off the edge. Or put his hands down to climb up.

But the other day, big guy just stepped off the ledge very casually and kept walking. Then on his way back up, just stepped up like it was no big deal. very smooth. I gave him an encouraging, "great job." Now I'll have to find something else to warn carefulness for.... hmmm, attempting to jump off the couch?

Don't touch me, don't let go

Big guy is in full toddler mode. Most of the time, it's awesome- way better than infant times. He's just so fun. He's interested in EVERYTHING- good and bad. He wants to play all the time. He's willing to go on adventures to just about anywhere. He learns new stuff and has been talking non stop- especially this week- just today he said the word bubble to me while we were playing with water on the kitchen table while I blew bubbles. It was cool b/c they stuck to the table to pop!

One of the funniest parts of toddler-ness is that "don't touch me, don't let go" syndrome. As in, I love you, but don't touch, wait, don't walk away, I need you! I swear I get pushed away and then quickly grabbed more than shoes at the DSW. But big guy is definitely a snuggler. And more often than not, he wants a big hug and just to know hubs and I are close by- keeping an eye on him, which he is in need of, since toddlers also like to climb and jump!