The Dictionary According to Pike

Duck face is still cool, right? Right?!

This will be an ongoing project. I want to chronicle some of Pike's more interesting terminology, when he used it, and what it meant. So forgive me if this post is incomplete. It always will be since I hope to add to it pretty much forever. Sorry - but I'm not sorry.

• "All gone the _" - His key phrase for something running out. In other words, "All gone the milk," if he runs out of milk in his cup. This can also refer to a train, car, truck, etc. that has passed by. Added 12/16/2013
• Bear Movie - The Jungle Book. Obviously. Added 12/16/2013
• Bom Game - A game called My Singing Monsters for Android. Pike enjoys watching Wes play it and even poking the screen from time to time himself. Added 12/16/2013
• Corn - Though this can refer to the veggie, it most often refers to The Last Unicorn, one of his current favorite movies. Added 12/16/2013
• Fight Bad Guys - This can either mean that he wants to play the Star Wars game with lightsabers for the Wii or that he wants to duel you with bowling pins. No, really. You'd better clarify which it is and step up. Note from Daddy: This can also mean other non-puzzle video games. If he sees you playing them he will ask if you are fighting bad guys. Added 12/16/2013
• Fight Dragons - Wes goes to Dungeons & Dragons every Tuesday night. We explained that to Pike, and now when we tell him, he turns and asks Wes very seriously, "Goin' to fight dragons, daddy?" 
• Happy vs. Sad - For him, if you're tired (ie he sees someone in a movie lying down), you are sad. If you're awake, you should be happy. If you are awake and sad, the solution is to go to sleep.
• "How your day?" - This isn't just a conversation starter. This is VERY SERIOUS and is always asked that way. You'd better be ready with a story. Added 12/16/2013
• "I peed the _" - If Pike happens to have a diaper leak, he gets very distressed, and tells us seriously that he "peed the pants" or shirt or bed or whatever else might have gotten pee on it. And sometimes even things that didn't get pee on them. Added 12/16/2013
• Juice - Any drink that isn't milk, water, coffee or wine. Lemonade can also be a catch-all term, as can tea. Added 12/16/2013
• Lotion - I bet you didn't know it, but lotion is actually a cure all. Well, it is. If you have an owie? You'd best get some lotion on that. Added 12/16/2013
• Make Bites - Cut whatever he is eating into bite-sized pieces. Added 12/16/2013
• Milk Sauce - Otherwise known as whipped cream. Added 12/16/2013
• Neena (also baneena) - Pike knew how to say banana from a young age. His best friend in the early days of day care, Ian, however, said neena instead. So Pike married the two and still (though Ian has since moved on to a new day care) says baneena instead. Added 12/16/2013
• Pleasantries - Saying good bye is important. Saying, "I miss you!" and "See you later!" are also important parts of saying good bye, so don't overlook them. Added 12/16/2013
• Paper Nose - Pike's term du jour for toilet paper or tissues. ("Get some paper nose, please, mommy. Booger!") Added 12/16/2013
• Pupcake - Otherwise known as a cupcake. But, let's face it, this is cuter. Added 1/21/2014
• Sandwich - Contrary to popular belief, a sandwich is not JUST a sandwich. It can also refer to chowing down on a random piece of bread. Who knew? Note: "French Toast" can also be just a slice of bread as long as it is accompanied by milk sauce. Added 12/16/2013
• Soldier Dudes - The characters in an Android game called Jungle Heat that Wes plays. "Playin' with soldier dudes, daddy?" Added 12/16/2013
• "Turn the light off" - Trick request, you see, since it really means to make the light whatever it isn't. If the light is on, he wants it off. If it's already off, he wants it on. Added 12/16/2013

The Crash

 

It's been an interesting weekend. Saturday we headed out for breakfast at Denny's. Pike was perky and happy most of the meal, devoured his chocolate milk and had a touch of pancake and bacon to wash it down. All normal. Then we headed for the grocery store. On the way we had a mild puke incident. It wasn't much, and we chalked it up to stomach upset getting into the car so soon after eating. 

Bad move.

In the store, Pike threw up. He threw up once in an aisle (partly on my, though thankfully mostly on my jacket). We rushed to the bathroom (the Thanksgiving shopping was almost done by then) and quickly got washed up. Then, as we stood waiting for Wes to finish checking out, he unloaded again. Like a baby volcano, he puked a little bit on me and on him. Okay, I could deal - I asked the checker for some paper towels, and he got them for me without missing a beat. As he was passing them to me, Pike unloaded a further stream of puke.

We finally managed to get us and the groceries into the car (by this I mean Wes managed everything except Pike since Pike and I were already fused together with his cold, wet vomit). We'd given up on cleanliness at that point and started for home as quickly as possible without getting pulled over. Naturally, Pike puked again on the way home. Oh, hey, there's that bacon. I totally wasn't hoping to see that again. We declined to stop and instead sped toward home.

The evening was, at that point, filled with restless, fussy baby moments and sweet, cuddly, watching Peter Pan baby moments. In the end he fell asleep on Wes' shoulder while we were all on the couch (he literally hasn't done that since he was less than a year old), and got put to bed. When Wes and I were finally going to get some rest ourselves, we hear Pike in his room sounding upset and go in. He's asking for a diaper change - the diarrhea has started.

At that point, we gave up. We got Pike cleaned up and asked him if he wanted to go back to his bed or sleep with us. I should explain here that Pike usually sees our bed as a place to play. Aside from a few naps when I was on maternity leave and he slept on my chest, he has never slept in our bed. We've offered before, but he gets in our bed and wants to play, not sleep. Last night, he sweetly asked for mommy and daddy's bed, and we all piled in.

Granted, for quite awhile he was restless and tossed and turned. Finally, he settled on the H position (where he's the crossbar between mommy and daddy, this time with the head on daddy and the feet on mommy's throat), and got some sleep. Which was disturbed by him waking us to get his diaper changed again. We did that, he wanted to get up and play (and put on make-up, but that's a whole other story). Finally we settled down, and Pike spent most of the rest of the night with his head on mommy, his feet on daddy, and the puppies sandwiched in around all of us. Since he had a fever this was something like sleeping with multiple irons under the covers - alternately a blessing and a curse.

For all the trials and tribulations, having Pike snuggled in next to us was a truly adorable experience. An experience that necessitated a nap for mommy and daddy today to catch up on missed sleep, but still pretty awesome.

The First Cut

I'm actually back dating this post so that it posts the day it happened: the first haircut. Yep, we finally gave in. Pike was having to push his hair out of his eyes constantly, and it was bad enough that even he was asking for a hair cut. We scheduled the cut with Gail from SoHo Salon, the wonderful lady who does my hair.

I think what surprised me most (and Gail a little too) is how well behaved he was. As you can see in the picture on the left on top (we were waiting to go back for the cut), he had rations for the journey in the form of apricots, apples, and goldfish. We come prepared. Don't get me wrong, he was wiggly as all get out, but he was happy for the most part. Until the end when he got bored, he sat like a good little boy and just wriggled his head and ate his food. 

As usual, I'm a very proud mommy. And, of course, I got to go home with the most handsome boy in the place - no matter what length his hair is.

Nooblet's Wordless Wednesday

All About Alligators

I'm an alligator. A scary one. RAWR!

Literally three days ago, my son developed an obsession with alligators. We got him a set of alligator pajamas that are super cute (thrift store find, baby!), and he loved them. I'm not sure that explains the whole thing, but Wes also purchased a $1 alligator mask he found at the store. Pike was enchanted. This morning, while I got ready, Pike and Wes watched alligator videos on YouTube. Pike's response when we told him it was time to go down and eat breakfast was, "No! More alligators!"

I should note, in all fairness, that he feels similarly about trains. We were lucky enough to get stopped by one yesterday (yes, this is lucky when you have a fussy toddler who loves trains), and he watched it with absolute wonder. When it left, he started making grunting noises of protest. "More train! Mommy! Mommy! MORE TRAIN!" Sadly, there was no more train and eventually he lapsed into sullen, thumb-sucking silence.

So there you have it, folks: as of this week, it's Disney movies, Yo Gabba Gabba, trains, and alligators.

Ain't Nothin' but a C Thing

I'm awesome at titles. I know this. I started watching More Business of Being Born today and was struck with the need to say something I've probably said before but that bears repeating: how you give birth is a personal decision AND a practical one.

A lot of people feel pressured to go natural or even have a home birth because they've been told that's best now. The same number of people feel pressured to go to the hospital because it's safer. Ultimately, your circumstances may completely dictate your path. It did for me. If you've been reading for awhile, you know that my son was born by emergency c-section because I had HELP syndrome, which was discovered when I stopped in at the hospital with Braxton Hicks contractions. By the next morning, I had been Careflighted to another hospital and my son was being cut out.

My mother had me by c-section and my sister as a VBAC. Would I go that route? Truthfully? Um, no. I wouldn't even want to. See, I know I'm in the minority of women, but if it had been on the table, I would have chosen a c-section as my primary birthing option. I wanted one. And, yes, a lot of that has to do with sheer terror on my part. Don't worry, it isn't for lack of being informed or aware. I get that my body is literally made to heal from certain injuries and all that. I just also know that if I'm going to have stitches one place or the other, I'm choosing my stomach.

So if we decided to have another kiddo, I'd be happily scheduling a c-section or going in for one when I went into labor or whatnot... but I don't think I'd be given a choice, and I confess to being bothered by that. While VBAC is not something that interests me, it's a big deal for a lot of people. Complications like mine may have forced it the first time, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve another option. Before this descends into a long, rambling dissertation on what is wrong with birthing and maternity care in the United States, I'll stop myself. But to all the moms and dads and friends and relatives out there who know someone who's going to be looking down the barrel of having a kiddo down the road, just remember before you start putting pressure on them to use one method or another (even if it was the PERFECT one for you) that things won't work out how you plan no matter what your plan is. The chaos of birth is an apt introduction to the chaos of having children... and it's worth fighting through whatever is thrown down in front of you and whatever the downsides of your chosen (or not chosen) method is to meet the new arrival. Stop stressing about the how, and worry about the after. That's the part that really counts.

Nooblet's Wordless Wednesday

Elbow Bump

It's not news that my baby is amazing. DUH. You've seen him. You know this. But did you know that he's an innovator? Yes, my son enjoys fist bumps (he's still working on blowing it up), and he likes to high five. He even enjoys hugs and kisses when he's in the right mood. But the really, truly, epically awesome thing my son loves? It's the ELBOW bump. Yes, he's created his own expression of joy and companionship. Bumping elbows. Get ready people: it's a thing now. This is the face of an innovator.

Nooblet's Wordless Wednesday

Baby Fever, originally uploaded by allison marisa.

Nooblet's Wordless Wednesday

Caught him!, originally uploaded by wildemoon.

Wil Wheaton - Why it's awesome to be a nerd

He is a ridiculously beautiful human being.

Decision Time

Decision Time Collage, originally uploaded by dadadreams.

Well, not really. Except maybe, yes. Inevitably the second child question comes up. It has for us. On the one hand, we both have siblings, and we like having siblings. I loved the tiny baby part, and I'd do it all over again - sleepless nights at all. I even liked being pregnant despite being so damn tired all the time.

On the other hand? If we have one child, our finances take less of a hit. We can pay things off and maybe even be able to do neat things for Pike like trips to Disneyland. If we're saving up for #2, we risk not being able to do what we really want to do for #1. I wouldn't ever want Pike to feel like he got shortchanged because having a second kiddo was too important to us, and since our plan didn't include even one child once upon a time, we didn't plan anything out financially or in any other sense for two.

For now, we're happy with our family as it is. Pike is beyond super amazing. He's pretty much the best kid ever (no offense to all the other kids out there). Is there a chance we'll change our minds? Oh, sure. There's always a chance. But I think for the time being we're happy with where and how we are.

If you've already had your first and people are asking about your second (or you've already had or are having a second), how did you reach your decision for or against?

Nooblet's Wordless Wednesday

Nooblet's Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Valentine

Untitled, originally uploaded by ~*suzannegipson*~.

Wordless Wednesday

Don't Feed the Animals

Silly Hat Day

Wha' Dat?

Pike's favorite phrases at the moment are what's that?, no!, and uh-oh followed closely by ow. It's kind of neat seeing him so engaged with his environment and so interested in knowing what anything and everything is. He's also becoming more willful. When he doesn't want to do something or doesn't want YOU to do something, he's very firm with his no. He's the same way telling the puppies to get down from his chair when he's eating or from the couch if he wants to sit where they're sitting.

He's also roughhousing more. No game is more fun than spinning around or pretending to push mommy and daddy over, them giggling and climbing on top of them to claim his victory. In the spirit of getting him out and about, Gram got him a fancy new wagon for Christmas. He got quite the haul for the holidays - naturally, so far his favorites are two little tiny things Wes picked up at the dollar store.

Eating has become more of a trial. With the new willful streak has come pickiness. We're making him eat what we eat at meals, he just doesn't always choose to, y'know, eat it. Lunch is easy, though, since he loves peanut butter sandwiches more than most things in the world. Milk, eggos, hot dogs, and fish sticks are also perennial favorites, and he digs dipping things. Here's to expanding baby culinary horizons!

Wordless Wednesday