Ryanisms

While life continues to move at more than one hundred miles an hour, here are a few "Ryanisms" that made us stop and appreciate what we've got.  We thought you might enjoy them too!

THE BEAUTY OF NATURE
Last week was particularly tough between Mike's work/school schedule and many of us battling colds.  Some nights I think I saw every hour on the clock!  Early one morning when I was desperately trying to sneak a few more minutes of sleep before the chaos of the day descended I heard Ryan calling out, "Mommy, morning yet?"  I stumbled down to his room, pointed out that it was still pitch black outside and pleaded with him to go back to sleep.  He was completely uninterested in that so I suggested he stay in his room and read books for the next 15-20 minutes.  Thankfully he agreed, although he did note that, "me no know words; me just look at pictures."  I kissed him and practically sprinted back to bed to make the most of those precious few last minutes of shut eye.  Just as I drifted off to sleep, I heard him excitedly call out, "Mommy, Mommy come here please."  I asked him what he needed and he replied, "Come see pretty sunrise with me."  How could I say no to a handsome guy asking me to enjoy a beautiful sunrise?!  As I looked out the palladian window in the hallway, rubbing my bleary eyes, he said, "yook, Mommy, it so pretty.  I see blue, orange, and purple.  But me no see any yellow."  I kneeled down to enjoy the view with him and he nuzzled into my shoulder and said, "Me know you love pretty sunrises and sunsets, Mommy."  That moment with my son was far more invigorating than the extra 15 minutes of sleep would have been!

DIAPER DIARIES
We're making slow but steady progress with potty training.  We declare every morning a "dry diaper day" and commit to doing all of our "business" on the potty.  Most days, we're successful, although I still have to initiate all of the trips to the bathroom.  A few days ago as I was putting Ryan in a fresh diaper for the day he matter of factly states, "me don't want a butt and pickle anymore.  Then me no have to go pee pee or poo poo on the potty."  When Mike got home later that evening and I was recounting this story to him, Ryan laughed, slapped his hand down on the table and said, "me just kidding bout that, Mommy, me being silly!"

THE ART OF IMITATION
Mealtime with Ryan is always an adventure and often requires negotiation, begging, and bribery.  Yesterday we agreed to share hotdogs and pretzels for lunch.  Since the dishwasher was running and we only had one clean fork, I encouraged him to use it.  I would occassionally reach over and sneak a piece of hotdog off his plate, dip it into the ketchup and pop it into my mouth.  A few minutes later, I saw him using his fingers to dredge the hotdog pieces through the ketchup.  I reminded him that we don't live in a barn and we eat with utensils in this house.  Without missing a beat, he replied, "me just trying to match what you do, Mommy."  Touché! 

Big Fella

Gavin had his 4 month well-baby visit with the pediatrician today.  During the appointment, we learned that Gavin is in the 90th percentile or above for both height and weight.  The pediatician teased that we may have a future NFL linebacker in the making!   

I inquired about Gavin's frequent GI distress and vomiting.  The doctor wasn't overly concerned since Gavin's weight indicated that he is in no danger of "failing to thrive" (a diagnosis when a child's weight or rate of growth is well below what it should be when compared with past measurements or standard height-weight charts).  He did, however, increase the dose of Axid (a medication used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease in infants) that Gavin is to receive twice a day.  Hopefully the higher dose will resolve the problem.  Nautrally I don't like to see Gavin in any discomfort.  As an added benefit, I would not have to walk around smelling like baby vomit all the time and it may reduce the number of loads of laundry I have to do each week - you can't imagine the amount of laundry that multiple outfit changes for both Mommy and Gavin generates!

The doctor reassured us that Gavin is reaching all of the developmental milestones on or ahead of schedule. He can roll over from front to back, reach for and hold a toy, track an object 180 degrees, lift his head up 90 degrees and raise his chest supported by his arms when he’s on his stomach, hold his head steady when upright and keep his head level with his body when pulled to sitting, squeal in delight, smile spontaneously, turn in the direction of a voice (particularly mommy’s and daddy’s), and bear some weight on his legs when held upright.

The pediatrician also told us we can introduce rice cereal anytime between 4-6 months. While the American Academy of Pediatricians recommends breast feeding exclusively for the first 6 months, Mike and I decided to try offering Gavin a small serving of rice cereal mixed with breast milk once a day since he is such a big boy and has such a healthy appetite. Plus, rumor has it that once babies start having rice cereal they are more likely to sleep through the night. We’d be lying if we said that didn’t influence our decision. I honestly can’t remember the last time I had more than 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep!

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the boys' height, weight, and head circumference measurements at roughly the same age (approximately 4 months).

           GAVIN                                   RYAN

Height:  26 ¾” (95th%)                  Height: 25 ½” (75th%)
Weight:  17 lbs, 1 oz (90th%)         Weight:  16 lbs, 2 oz (80th%)
Head:  17” (75th%)                         Head:  17 ½” (94th%)

Football!

Sunday afternoons in our house consist of family, food, fun, and football!  Ryan is becoming quite the football aficionado.  Although he is starting to learn the basic concept of the game, he does cheer whenever anyone scores a touchdown, regardless of which team the player is from.  I hope as he gets older he maintains that same sense of graciousness in both sports and life. 

He's also becoming quite the little Ravens fan, donning the team colors for every game and chanting, "Let's Goooo Ravens" at kickoff.  However, in all honesty, his loyalties each week appear to be influenced by the team mascot.  For instance, last week the bengal tiger trumped the raven.  I know that Mom Mom and Uncle Scott are big Redskins fans, but we decided to root for the team that had a better chance of having a winning record this season (or any wins for that matter!).


Ryan and Daddy snack on nachos and buffalo wings during the football game. Nachos are part of a healthy diet right?! I mean they do contain foods from most of the six basic food groups! 

     

Ryan pretends to kick the ball like he sees Mr. Sam (Koch) do on TV.  We figure it's never to early to start perfecting his kicking technique since we're hoping he'll finance our retirement someday!   

Mommy takes a break from housework and her endless to-do list to watch the game with her boys.  During halftime, Ryan decided to start working on his Christmas list.  He pointed to practically everything on each page and said, "Me want this, and this, and this..."  In fact, the only toys that did not make his wish list were the baby dolls!

Daddy schools Ryan and Gavin on the finer points of the game.  Daddy is thrilled to spend the afternoon with his favorite guys, especially since he doesn't get to spend as much time with them as he'd like.   

Gavin finds his red monkey rattle far more entertaining than the football game.  In fact, he giggled for the first time last week when Ryan shook the rattle in front of him.

Gavin strikes the Heisman Pose in his sleep.  Although the game was a nailbiter, Gavin found it a snooze and fell fast asleep on Daddy's chest. 

Ryan assumes his quarterback stance and launches the football with the precision of a future Peyton Manning!

Birthday Boy

Although this post is more than a month overdue, the memories of Ryan's 3rd birthday are recounted with just as much love today as they would have been had we shared them immediately following his special day! (By the way, finding the time to blog more frequently is turning out to be more of a challenge than I expected. Where are the little house elves that pick up all the toys and endless clutter, clean bathrooms, dust, vacuum, and do dishes? And, what happened to the laundry fairy - she's fallen behind in washing and folding the seemingly endless loads of laundry?! If they just did their part, I'd have more time and energy each evening to blog about the day's events!)

We hosted Ryan's birthday party on August 29, 2009, at Bounce With Me Inflatables, a local indoor warehouse filled with inflatable bouncers, slides, and obstacle courses. Family and friends from preschool and the MOPS group we belong to all turned out to help Ryan celebrate his birthday.

In years past, since Ryan was too young to express his opinion, Mommy and Daddy got to select the theme that we thought was most appropriate and fun for his age at the time. This year, since Ryan has his own opinions and ideas, we tried to involve him in the party planning as much as possible. We especially wanted the theme to reflect his current interests (which are many and range from fire trucks to race cars) so we took him to the local party store several weeks in advance to see the various party theme options and choose which one he wanted. As soon as he saw the Diego party supplies, he excitedly exclaimed that he wanted an "e-a-go" party (at the time he didn't pronounce the "D" at the beginning) and immediately began filling our shopping baskets with invitations, thank-you notes, plates, napkins, stickers, and toys for the favor bags. On the day of his party, we surprised him with a bouquet of orange, blue, and green balloons, a Diego mylar balloon, and a Diego birthday cake (courtesy of Giant).

I really struggled with the party plans for his birthday this year. It was the first year we hosted his party somewhere other than our house. And, for the past two years, I ordered custom birthday invitations, return address labels, and thank-you notes; stayed up late creating and crafting homemade party decorations, and baked and decorated his cake (all with Mike's help of course!). I was overcome with guilt because I felt like I was taking the easy way out - slapping down the credit card for pre-made party supplies felt so impersonal. I worried that Ryan would feel like his birthday was overshadowed by Gavin's birth. During my less emotional and more rational times, I reasoned that with the hours I was keeping, I couldn't possibly get the house in shape to entertain guests. Plus, did I really want 10 or more rambunctious 3-year-olds running around the house?! In the end, his party was wildly successful and he had a wonderful time.

The morning of his party, I got the boys bathed, dressed, and fed while Mike picked up the balloons, cake, and deli platter. Around Noon we piled into the car to go to the bounce place before the guests started to arrive at 12:30 pm. Ryan greeted all of his family and friends while the staff reviewed the rules for anyone who wished to bounce. Then, all the kids rushed into the inflatables room for 90 minutes of bounce time. From what I could tell, the adults had just as much fun as the kids. I even went down the superslide with Ryan and Mike a few times and raced Scott through the inflatable obstacle course. The previous times we visited the bounce place I was not allowed to jump since I was pregnant. (I'm not sure if that was for my safety or if because they feared I'd damage the inflatables since I was so freakishly large!) After 90 minutes of bouncing, everyone reconvened in the party room to sing "Happy Birthday" to Ryan, eat cake and ice cream, and watch him open his gifts. Mike and I were amused at how obviously naive we were about hosting a kid's party. Mike cut ridiculously large pieces of cake that I'm not sure a grown adult could finish let alone a 3-year-old, and I forgot to offer everyone utensils and asked all of the kids what flavor cake and ice cream they preferred (not wise given we had limited quantities of each and kids that age can be indecisive). And, the gift opening was near disasterous. Apparently, kids that age like to "help" the birthday boy open his gifts. In the mayhem, cards got separated from their gifts and wrapping and tissue paper were strewn everywhere. This made it difficult to determine who gave him what, which proved to be somewhat problematic when it came time to write thank you notes!  Once all the guests left, we took our tired little boy home to continue the birthday celebration among family and to celebrate Mike's birthday. Although he was exhausted, I think the cake and sugary icing started to kick in because he caught his second wind and was able to power through unwrapping the rest of his gifts and entertain us with his reaction to everything he opened (especially the dress socks from Mom Mom!). After a long, but fun-filled day, Ryan fell fast asleep while Mommy and Daddy reminisced about his birth and marveled at how wonderful the past 3 years have been. Having him has enriched our lives in so many ways. He has brought so much joy, love, and laughter to our lives. We feel so blessed to be his parents and to play such an important role in raising him and shaping him into the man he will become.

Below are a few photos from Ryan's birthday party:

He may have been the guest of honor,

but we put him to work helping decorate

the party room before the guests arrived.

Ryan poses with his Diego balloon, which

was nearly as big as he is! 

Mommy and Daddy join the birthday boy on the

inflatable superslide!  Most of the adults played as

hard as the kids - it reminded me of Jimmy Buffett's

song, "Growing Older But Not Up!"

Ryan and Connor, his closest friend from preschool,

were inseparable at the party. 

A picture of the Diego cake before it was devoured

by a room full of starving kids!  It was delicious (half

chocolate cake and half yellow, topped with buttercream

icing), but very sweet - I'm sure the parents did not

appreciate us sending their children home over-tired

and on a sugar high!

Look at those heavy eyelids!  Ryan was so exhausted

from bouncing that it was all he could do to not fall

asleep in his birthday cake!  A rousing rendition of 

"Happy Birthday" and a table full of presents to 

unwrap re-energized him though! 

Although we held back many of our little gifts for his actual birthday, we wanted to give him his "big gift" on the day of his party. Since he has been doing so well riding his little red tricycle, we thought he was ready for his first real bike (outfitted with training wheels at first of course!) And, in the spirit of his Diego-themed party, we got him a Diego bicycle. We debated whether to get him a character bike since his interest in Diego may fade by next summer. But, the orange and blue color scheme looked nicer than the other bikes available and most of the Diego decals are removable, so we ultimately decided to get it.

The look on Ryan's face when he opened his eyes

and saw the Diego bicycle was priceless!

Ryan can't take his eyes off his new bike

long enough to pose for a family picture!

Since "super fast" is Ryan's phrase du jour
(e.g., "Daddy, why you driving superfast?" or

"Mommy, me only take a superfast nap!"), we

had a license plate made for his bicycle that reads,

"SPRFAST!"

This year Ryan graciously agreed to share the birthday spotlight with Daddy since Daddy's birthday often gets overshadowed by Ryan's birthday extravaganza. But don't feel too sorry for Daddy; he got two birthday cakes this year - a banana Smith Island cake from Mom Mom and one lovingly baked and decorated by Ryan!

Daddy's homemade birthday cake was nearly enough

to send everyone into a diabetic coma!  It was spice cake

topped with cream cheese icing and decorated with red

and green sugar crystals, rainbow colored confetti,

and sprinkles!  After some clever negotiating on my part,

I convinced Ryan that the cake was beautiful just the

way it was and that we did NOT need to put the

Christmas tree sprinkles on the cake too! 

Note the emblem of a ram on Daddy's shirt. He wore
it as a tribute to Ryan on his birthday since Ryan's

initials are RAM.

Ryan helps Daddy blow out his candles. He looks a

bit stunned at how many candles there are to blow

out and is probably wondering if he has enough air

to extinguish all 33 of them!

Although I think he may have found it a bit confusing to celebrate twice, we wanted to acknowledge his actual birthday in some way. So, we rented the movie Cars, treated him to dinner and ice cream sundaes at Friendly's, and gave him a few token gifts to open.

Ryan was excited to receive a birthday e-card from
Nana and Pop Pop.  He wanted to watch the singing,
dancing monkey birthday gram over and over again!


Mommy and Ryan spent his birthday staging
animal rescue missions all over the house.  We hid
the animals, relied on Click the camera to tell us where
the animals in trouble were, and used the appropriate vehicle
to rescue them.  The Diego balloon accompanied us on all
of our rescue missions.  When the Diego balloon wasn't rescuing
animals,it joined us at the table for all of our meals.  Ryan was
sad when Diego finally deflated several weeks later!

Although it was his birthday, we did insist that

he eat dinner before dessert.  The birthday boy

enjoyed a grilled cheese sandwich and two scoops of

chocolate ice cream for his birthday dinner.  He was surprised

and thrilled when the waitresses came to our table to seranade him.

I bet he's thinking, "Come on guys, hurry

up and take the picture.  Can't you see there

are presents to be unwrapped...What do you mean

I have to open the card first?!"

Happy 3rd birthday to our super fast, silly goose, little puppy!  We hope you have a year full of amazing discoveries and exciting adventures.  We love you so very much!

Dumb Dumb Moment

At the beginning of every MOPS meeting (that's the Christian moms group that I belong to), they ask if anyone has a Mommy moment or a dumb dumb moment they'd like to share with the rest of the group. Moms who share stories are then rewarded with either a packet of M&Ms or a Dum-Dum lollipop, respectively. Usually, I share stories of touching things that Ryan has said or done or tender moments with Gavin. At the next meeting, I'll be able to share the following dumb dumb moment:

For the past couple of nights, Gavin has woken up around 4 a.m. shrieking inconsolably. He's so loud that Mike (who typically sleeps through Gavin's most robust crying episodes) jumps out of bed to close the windows so that we don't wake the neighbors. Then, he offers to give me a break and rocks Gavin until he calms down and falls back asleep. The next morning, we try to determine what could explain Gavin's behavior from the night before. We go through a mental checklist: did we give him both doses of Axid (his medicine for acid reflux), did I give him Mylicon to help with gas, did I burp him after each nighttime feeding, was he too cold or hot, did he need a diaper change, did I eat anything that could have given him a stomachache, etc. The other morning, I was convinced I had it figured out. I explained to Mike that when I was changing Gavin's diaper after one of his screaming fits, I discovered what looked like partially undigested grains of rice in his poop (although I did not spend a lot of time carefully inspecting the contents of his dirty diaper). I then reminded Mike that we had chicken and rice for dinner the night before. The look on Mike's face was a combination of bewilderment, shock, and alarm, which quickly turned to amusement as he waited for me to realize the absurdity of my statement. I, on the other hand, could not understand his unusual reaction and why he wasn't responding to the possible explanation I had offered. After several moments, when he realized that I wasn't going to figure it out on my own, he asked me how Gavin had ingested rice when he was exclusively breastfed. I wish I could blame my cluelessness on the sleep deprivation, but common sense often eludes me!

A Cookie for God

Yesterday, after Ryan finished eating his ham and cheese sandwich for lunch, he retrieved the cookies from the cupboard and brought them to the table. Like his Great Granddad Lusby, Ryan prefers to eat only a half a sandwich so there's more room for dessert. He knows that he has to eat his entire sandwich before he's allowed to have cookies. It may take him nearly 20 minutes to finish his sandwich, but he's determined to eat it all so he can have dessert. Then he rewards himself with 2 chewy chocolate chip cookies and 2 fudge strip cookies. Ryan has also established himself as the official Cookie Keeper - we have to ask his permission to share the cookies and then he doles them out to us in whatever quantity he sees fit. I'm used to the typical routine of Ryan opening the package of cookies and saying, "One for Ryan, one for Mommy...two for Ryan, two for Mommy." I was surprised yesterday when he laid a third cookie out in front of the unoccupied seat at the table and said, "and one cookie for God." He then asked if God lived up in the clouds and wondered if Daddy could see God when he was flying in the helicopter. I confirmed that God does live in the sky but Daddy is not able to see him when he's in the helicopter and reminded him that He is also here with us all the time even though we can't see him. Then, he turned his attention back to the cookies and explained, "me love chocolate cookies and God love cookies too." I was touched by his innocent, unquestioning faith and his thoughtfulness and selflessness. Ryan is such a sweet, gentle soul; I hope the harsh realities of the world don't change that about him.

First Day of School

Today was Ryan's first day back to school. He is enrolled in the 3-year-old preschool program that meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 - 11:30 a.m. Many of his friends from last year are enrolled in his class again this year. And, he has the same teachers that he had last year. Seeing so many familiar faces seemed to help ease his transition back to school.

Dropping him off at school for the first day of school this year was a completely different experience than last year. Last year I was an emotional wreck at the thought of leaving my precious little boy with complete strangers. Mike accompanied us last year in case I was blinded by tears and unable to drive safely. I also had to wear sunglasses so Ryan wouldn't be upset by seeing me cry. I remember sobbing once Ryan was lead into school for the first time. I was sad because until that point I had spent every waking moment with Ryan and had witnessed all of his milestones and touching "mommy moments." Selfishly, I knew that with him in school there would moments that I would not be privvy to; there would be cute, endearing things he said or did that I would never know about. And, I worried that since he was so much younger than his peers (his birthday is one day before the cut-off date of September 1st making him almost a full year younger than some of his classmates) and had limited verbal communication skills, he would be overwhelmed by the school experience. Of course, he thrived at school and his social and communication skills improved tremendously over the course of the year.

Today, Ryan was excited to reconnect with his friends and woke up eager to go to school. Several days prior to his first day when we were pretending to be animal rescuers like Diego, I looked at Ryan and was studdenly struck by how much I've enjoyed spending the summer with him and how much I would miss him once he returned to school. I reminded him that his first day back to school was just days away and that while I was excited for him to make new friends and learn new things, I would miss him. He replied, "Aww, Mommy, me miss you, but my friends are at school and me love my friends too. You come back soon and get me from school right?" I guess it's only a matter of time before he insists that I drop him off a block away from school or walk several paces behind him at the mall!

When we picked him up after school today, the teachers raved about how cute and well behaved Ryan is and said they were amazed at the progress he's made since they last saw him in May. According to his teacher, Ryan not only participated in today's activities but also interacted and conversed with his classmates. As an added benefit of his expanded vocabulary, Ryan is now able to give us an account of what happened during his day.

Ryan's Not The Only Big Boy In The House

It’s hard to believe that Gavin is 2 months old already! The past couple of months have flown by, which is somewhat surprising given that we’re awake nearly 20 out of 24 hours. As you can see in the pictures posted below, he’s growing up so quickly (too quickly in our opinion).

Gavin is much more alert than he used to be. He wakes up much earlier (typically around 5:45 a.m.) and spends a greater portion of the day awake. He has also started to coo and recently discovered that his arms and legs are attached to him. When he gets really excited he flails his little arms and legs and drools, grunts, and pants. He even smiles every once in awhile - social smiles, not gas ones! His first official smile was on Sunday, August 16th. We were all seated at the kitchen table for dinner and Gavin was in his bouncy seat next to my chair. He was cooing and calling out for attention. When I looked down and acknowledged him, he unexpectedly flashed me a big, slobbery, gummy, toothless grin. At that moment, I forgot all about the sleepless nights, endless hours of inconsolable crying, and all the times he's spit up and pooped on me!

In addition to smiling, Gavin has reached another developmental milestone - he can roll over from his stomach to his back on both his left and his right side! One evening last week, we were all in Ryan's room reading bedtime stories when much to our surprise, Gavin rolled over. Gavin can also lift his head, but he has trouble holding it up for any extended period of time.

Yesterday Gavin had his 2-month well-baby visit with the pediatrician. During the visit, the pediatrician measured, weighed, and thoroughly examined him. We are happy to report Gavin is a healthy, well-fed, growing boy! He weighs 14 lbs, 15 oz which puts him in the 97th percentile for weight and he is 24 ¾” tall, which puts him in the 95th percentile for height. His head circumference measured 16" which puts him in the 60th percentile. To serve as a point of reference, at Ryan's 2-month checkup he weighed 13 lbs, 4 oz (90th percentile), was 23 ¾” tall (80th percentile), and his head measured 16 1/4” (75th percentile).

Gavin also received four vaccination shots at his appointment. He was such a little trouper; his bottom lip quivered a little and a few yelps and tears escaped, but thankfully there were no earsplitting screams (probably because his pudgy little thighs lessened the pain of the injections!).

Here are several recent photos of the boys. As you can see, Gavin is filling out nicely and has lost the shriveled-up newborn look and Ryan is clearly enamored with his little brother!

Ryan and Gavin lounge together on the couch while they watch Saturday morning cartoons.

The first documented case of Arby's mouth with Gavin. Usually he sleeps with his mouth gaping open and his tongue sticking out.

He looks so sweet and peaceful...now, if only he could sleep this soundly at night!

Gavin takes a break from trying to hold up his head during tummy time.

Now how can the ladies resist such a fine body like this? Luckily girls dig chubby babies! He's such a little chunker that it looks like he has rubber bands around his thighs and arms!

Funny how the 2-month old can smile and look at the camera, but the 2-year old can't! Ryan is entranced by a particularly compelling episode of Diego.

Gavin perfects his rollover technique. My guess is that he mastered that skill fairly early because fear can be a powerful motivator (Ryan often enthusiastically volunteers to "help" Gavin practice his tummy time).

Ryan offers Gavin companionship and support during one of his tummy time sessions.

It still catches him by surprise when he unexpectedly rolls over!

I know it's 3 o'clock in the morning, Mom, but I'm just not tired!

Look how cute I am!

When Pigs Fly

We started this site to celebrate the memorable moments in our lives, and what could be more memorable than my baby brother's engagement?! Congratulations to Scott and Kelsea on their recent engagement! Scott proposed to his long-time girlfriend on Saturday at sunset in Rehoboth Beach. He successfully surprised her with a well-orchestrated, romantic proposal that included tiki torches on the beach, Kelsea's favorite flowers and wine, and their special songs playing in the background. Who knew Scott could be such a thoughtful, sensitive romantic?!

To be honest, I had my doubts whether Scott would ever settle down and give up the bachelor lifestyle (hence the title of this blog post). I knew it would take a special lady to capture Scott's heart and convince him to give up beer and hot wings at Hooters with the guys every Tuesday night! Kelsea not only won over Scott, but also the rest of our family. While it's hard to imagine my little brother as a married man, I couldn't be happier or more excited to welcome Kelsea to the family.

Best of luck to the happy couple as they begin planning their future together. We're looking forward to the time when we can celebrate their engagement in person. Until then, we hope they enjoy this special time in their lives and we wish them a lifetime of happiness, love, and friendship.

Waste Management

Potty training has officially begun! This past Wednesday, Ryan agreed to wear "big boy pants" instead of his regular diapers. When I presented them to him as "underwear," he adamantly refused to put them on or participate in potty training. However, when I called them "special diapers" or "big boy pants" he enthusiastically agreed to give them a try.

Potty Training Plan: Shamelessly (and based on the advice of other moms who have gone before me), I have decided to pander to Ryan's sweet tooth to increase the chances of potty training success and to maintain his excitement and willingness to participate. A mom from one of the moms groups that I belong to recently potty trained her 3-year-old son and she shared some helpful tips and lessons learned from her experience. Following her suggestions, I check Ryan's training pants every 15-20 minutes during the day to see if he's gone to the bathroom. If is pants are dry, I reward him with a few M&Ms or miniature marshmallows. In addition, every time he goes to the bathroom on the potty - either at my urging or by his own request - he is also rewarded with a few M&Ms or marshmallows and stickers.

Progress to Date: The first day was a success - much to my surprise, Ryan pee-peed and poo-pooed on the potty! After each successful trip to the potty, we'd celebrate with the "Pee-pee on the potty" song, clapping, high-fives, lots of praise, stickers, and candy. With all the extra attention, I'm surprised Ryan doesn't insist on going to the bathroom every 5 minutes! Apparently, he's modest about his bathroom habits though because on the first day he demanded that I leave the bathroom and close the door behind me. He assured me that he'd call me when he was done. After a minute or two, I heard him yell, "Mommy, me done, come in here now." When I walked into the bathroom he was wiping himself with a wad of toilet paper that was at least half of the roll and he pointed excitedly into the toilet and exclaimed, "Look, Mommy, one long piece!" It's amazing the things we celebrate now that we're parents!

As to be expected, we've experienced a few set backs since our promising start. Several times now, Ryan has urgently informed me that he has to go to the potty. As we're making our panicked dash to the bathroom, I notice that the back of his shorts are already soaked. Since his training pants offer no absorbency, all accidents require a bath and a change of clothes. However, it was a conscious decision to use cotton training pants as opposed to diaper-like Pull-Ups so that Ryan would be better able to differentiate when he's dry versus dirty. Hopefully, he'll quickly realize how uncomfortable soiled training pants are and he'll learn to ask to go to the bathroom before accidents happen.

Here are a few photos of our potty training adventure!

Ryan shows off his big boy training pants! He's especially fond of the patterned ones with puppy dogs and choo-choo trains. Mom favors those as well since he's reluctant to pee-pee on the puppies!

Ryan is clearly proud of himself and enjoys the praise and attention he's received for his potty training efforts.

Ryan shows off his accomplishment (i.e. "the big long piece"). We preemptively positioned the wet-dry vac (seen on the left-hand side of the photo) in the bathroom for those times when Ryan misses or overshoots the toilet.

Where the Wild Things Are

In case you were wondering, the wild ones live in a non-descript building on the campus of Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore.

To explain, allow me to recap yesterday's adventure to Mt. Washington for Ryan's appointment with a pediatric pulmonologist. Given his respiratory problems, frequent bouts of wheezing, and family history of asthma and allergies, we decided to consult a specialist to be better informed about childhood asthma and more proactive about treating it.

We were initially impressed with how efficient and kid-friendly the experience was. As we entered the building, we were greeted by the cheerful, colorful decor and friendly staff. The waiting area was full of interactive toys and activities to entertain and engage children while their parents filled out the required paperwork. Since we are accustomed to frustratingly long wait times at doctors' offices, we were pleasantly surprised when we were shown to an exam room within 10 minutes of arriving. Much to our disappointment though, the exam room was small and bland and offered no toys or books to occupy fidgety little boys - this would not have been an issue had we not had to spend nearly an hour and a half in there trying to entertain Ryan while we waited for the attending physician to see us!

Before too long, the fellow physician came in to the room, introduced herself to us and to Ryan, gathered information about Ryan's medical history (particularly his previous episodes of respiratory problems), and conducted an initial examination of Ryan. Naturally, Ryan decided that he had to go to the bathroom at that exact moment. Now, mind you, we had been waiting for this appointment for almost 6 months. And, we have been trying, unsuccessfully, to persuade Ryan to use the potty for months now! But, he decides in the middle of a doctor's appointment with a sought-out specialist that he's ready to sit on the potty for the first time?!?! So, not wanting to discourage his sudden interest, Daddy quickly escorted Ryan to the restroom, where he did sit on the potty and try to go to the bathroom.

The fellow then explained that she needed to consult the attending physician regarding Ryan's symptoms and health history and the two of them would return to the room to discuss the next steps in Ryan's treatment. That's when the endless waiting began...as the minutes ticked slowly by, Mike and I desperately tried to entertain Ryan. Understandably, as time wore on, Ryan got increasingly restless and irritable.

Eventually, we pulled the guest chair up to the lone window in the room, opened the blinds, and discovered that we were overlooking another building. When Ryan asked what that building was for, Mike informed him that it was where wild children who don't behave during their doctor's visits are sent. Ryan's eyes widened in alarm and awe and Mike and I began to spin an elaborate tale. We invented the following rules for the building where the wild ones live:

• No cookies, PopTarts, or other sugary snacks; children living there are only fed carrots for every meal;
• No apple juice or chocolate milk to drink, children are only offered toilet water to drink
• There is no TV, especially Dora and Diego, instead children are forced to brush their teeth 3 times a day (the horror!) and cut their own fingernails and toenails everyday (you should have seen the look on Ryan's face when he learned this news!!); and
• Although parents would be allowed weekly visits, the children are not released until they receive their GED or their 21st birthday, whichever comes first.

The fear of being sent to that building kept Ryan in line for a little while, but our giggles and laughter at the rules we created eventually betrayed us and Ryan insisted, "you teasing me, that's silly." So, we next turned to the one magazine we could find to try to entertain Ryan - National Geographic. Now, one might think that Ryan would find National Geographic fascinating given his love of animals. While he did enjoy the majority of the photos he saw in the magazine, we weren't sure how to respond when he inquired about the photo of villagers carrying a slain gorilla out of the forest on a bamboo litter or the picture of a camel being hoisted by a crane, likely being transported to its final resting spot. Just when we had reached our wit's end, the attending physician came into the room and put us out of our misery!

She then examined Ryan, reviewed his charts, and decided to put him on Pulmacort indefinitely to reduce the frequency and severity of respiratory flareups such as the wheezing he normally develops following a cold. The hope is that by treating him now, it should prevent or mitigate his respiratory problems when he gets older. Based on his history, the physician assumes that his breathing problems are likely triggered by a virus (such as the common cold) or seasonal allergies. However, she explained that it is premature to subject Ryan to allergy testing now since he is still developing his allergies and will continue to do so through the age of 5. We will followup with her in 3 months to see what effect the Pulmacort has had and determine what the next course of action in his treatment plan should be. Hopefully next time we'll remember to bring toys or books for Ryan so we won't have to resort to threats of abandonment and/or elaborate storytelling!

Family Time

As we did when Ryan was born, we respectfully asked family and friends to allow us a few weeks to bond with our son, adjust to life with a newborn again, and establish a routine for our new family of 4 (5 if you count Guinness). We also wanted to give Ryan an opportunity to spend time and forge a relationship with his new brother, whom he had not met or held prior to his discharge from the NICU. While we recognize that family, particularly the grandparents, were eager (crazed is probably more accurate :-)) to meet Gavin since they were not permitted to hold him while he was in the NICU, we appreciate that everyone honored our request for time and space during those first few weeks. It was an important and special time for us. Plus, it allowed us time to adapt to Gavin's sleep schedule (or lack thereof) and me time to fully recuperate before entertaining guests.


Here are a few photos taken during recent visits with family. We were especially grateful that, despite their enthusiasm about meeting Gavin for the first time, everyone carved out special time for Ryan during their visit. Although Ryan is shamelessly spoiled and has not shown any signs of jealousy so far, I'm sure the special attention, gifts, compliments and words of encouragement went a long way to ward off any potential jealousy or resentment problems.


Nana and PopPop's Visit
Although they would never admit it, I think Nana and PopPop were exhausted after their visit with Ryan and Gavin. Despite her seemingly endless reserves of energy, even Nana showed signs of slowing down by the end of her stay. Ryan kept them busy reading books, blowing bubbles, playing in the pool, drawing chalk cities on the driveway, and making Play Doh creations. Nana and PopPop also graciously volunteered to get up with the two boys in the morning and let Mommy and Daddy catch up on some much needed sleep!


They also agreed to babysit Ryan and Gavin while we attended a friend's wedding - a long overdue date night! We were grateful for the opportunity to share some alone time as a couple, especially since we've only had a few child-free evenings since Ryan was born. The fact that we were comfortable leaving Gavin before he was even one month old shows how much more relaxed we are with the second child. Ryan was well over a year old before we were ready to go out without him. And, once we were ready to venture out alone, we subjected all potential babysitters to a rigorous vetting process similar to that required to obtain a high level security clearance!

Granddaddy and Grami Shar's Visit
Grandaddy and Grami Shar came up to visit a few days later. They were eager to hold Gavin since they hadn't been able to in the hospital. Grami Shar was especially excited since she had never even seen Gavin before (she was understandably uncomfortable going into the NICU and seeing all of the sick babies). Soon after meeting Gavin for the first time, Granddaddy sniffed his feet to check for "stinky feet," a Mann family game that Ryan still enjoys. In the afternoon, Granddaddy relaxed by the poolside with Daddy (by poolside, I really mean the inflatable kiddie pool) while Grami Shar played catch in the backyard and colored a Dora and Diego coloring book with Ryan. Granddaddy and Grami Shar also treated us to cold cut subs for dinner, which was especially nice for me since I was unable to eat sandwiches during pregnancy (deli meat may contain a harmful bacteria called listeria and is therefore not recommended during pregnancy). After dinner, we drove across the street to Baugher's playground for snowcones and to let Ryan burn off some energy. The next morning, Daddy cooked breakfast for everyone while Grandaddy and Ryan wrestled and Grami Shar supervised to make sure no one got hurt. Grandaddy was a good sport about it since he took quite a beating from Ryan, who is known for sneak attacks and below-the-belt shots!

MomMom's Visit
MomMom, who is also a mom to two boys, was excited to spend time with her two grandsons. She affectionately calls them her "sweet boys" and, like a typical grandmother, thinks they do no wrong! Given the years she spent working for the March of Dimes and her familiarity with the risks associated with premature birth, she was particularly anxious to see Gavin's progress for herself. She was relieved to discover that despite his early respiratory problems, Gavin is now doing exceptionally well and definitely has a healthy set of lungs (especially when he's hungry or has gas). And, like all the grandparents, she gushed about how sweet and cute both of the boys are.

During her visit, MomMom put together puzzles with Ryan, accompanied him to the local playground to feed the ducks and watch him play on the playground equipment, and cheered him on as he rode his tricycle up and down the sidewalk in front of our house. She also made us a delicious home-cooked dinner of pot roast, potatoes, and carrots, which was a welcome change from the leftover lasagna we had been eating all week!

Uncle Scott and Aunt Kelsea's Visit
Uncle Scott and Aunt Kelsea came to visit a few days after Mommy's birthday. Uncle Scott visited Mommy in the pre-op room just prior to her C-section, but hadn't seen her since Gavin's delivery. Since he and Mommy are very close, he was eager to see her in person to confirm that she was recovering well physically and emotionally. And, in typical little brother fashion, he came armed with the noisiest toy for Ryan that he could find (a toy guitar)! He and Aunt Kelsea also brought delicious cupcakes and candy for Mommy's birthday and announced that they had signed her up for a 5K run scheduled for the end of September in honor of her birthday (talk about sending mixed signals - junk food and a 5k?!). That should be the motivation I need to lose these last 10 lbs of baby weight, although I am a bit nervous about my ability to complete the race given my current energy and fitness level. To add insult to injury, the race is in College Park and Mike's old fire department is responsible for providing emergency care for participants who fall out during the run! He'd never hear the end of it if his firefighter colleagues have to transport his wife to the hospital!

Ryan met his match in Uncle Scott in terms of energy and maturity! The two of them wore each other out wrestling, making Play Doh food, blowing bubbles, making chalk drawings, and throwing snappers (those white paper things that pop when you throw them against the ground) on the driveway! Aunt Kelsea was more than willing to cuddle Gavin while Uncle Scott and Ryan played! When Uncle Scott finally collapsed exhausted on the couch to hold Gavin, he felt something warm spreading across his stomach - Gavin had peed all over him! He was a good sport about it, especially since he was having dinner with Kelsea's family after leaving our house. I'm sure the pee stains on his shirt made a good impression on them, but then again, he and Kelsea have dated for several years now, so nothing about Scott should surprise them at this point!

Uncle Matty's Visit
Poor Uncle Matty came to meet Gavin and play with Ryan, but Daddy ended up putting him to work! Daddy began "nesting" several months before Gavin was born. During his house cleaning craze, he had accumulated piles of stuff that he wanted to donate or take to the dump. The only problem was that a lot of it wouldn't fit in our SUV; we needed Uncle Matty's truck to transport the larger items. I think Daddy was equally as excited as Ryan and Gavin for Matty's visit so that he could get rid of some of the clutter!

When he wasn't hauling junk from our house, Uncle Matty and Ryan were wrestling, chasing each other around the house, playing with Play Doh, and sharing icepops, snowcones, or cookies. He even let Ryan help drive his new truck up and down the driveway! Uncle Matty enjoyed holding Gavin, but was quick to hand him back over to Mommy or Daddy whenever a diaper change was needed! Although newborn baby poop doesn't smell, apparently the sight of it triggers Uncle Matty's gag reflex; he had to leave the room whenever a diaper change was taking place! Perhaps we should reconsider storing the Diaper Genie (i.e., dirty diaper receptacle) in the guest bathroom - at least when Matty is visiting!