We took Ian to the Beach for the 4th. His Rama said he looked like a cinnamon sugar donut. He loved the sand and liked watching the waves, but he wouldn’t touch the water.
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| July 4th at the Beach |
July 4th at the Beach
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Category Archives: Ian
Some News and Big Thanks
Ian had a wonderful birthday. Many thanks to all of you who thought of him on his special day- I hope you enjoy these pix of his birthday festivities.
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| Ian’s birthday |
A smart mom would have made sure his presents were all put together before the big day, but you can see he found creative ways to play with unassembled gifts, so it was all good.
Today is a gorgeous sunny day, not too hot, just enough breeze. It’s also the day that Ian decided he’d like to start walking. What was really fun is that Michael got to see him. As you all know, his “first step” was ages ago, but this morning he stood up unassisted and walked to a chair- about five steps, so not very far in physical space but leaps and bounds in cognitive space! He finally realized it was quicker to walk than to get up, assess the terrain, and then get down to crawl. We figure we’re in trouble now. And, oh yes, another new word today. “Dog” was inspired by a little yellow lab puppy at the park.
Everything else is going just as well. Michael is still feeling challenged and effective at work and I enjoy every minute with Ian and the wonderful friends he and I have made here. We still see an amazing abundance of wildlife in our suburban habitat. Here is one of the most recent visitors to our front yard:
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| spotted fawn |
And woodpeckers! We see at least one variety of woodpecker every day.
We look forward to finding out whether Ian likes fireworks.
My first shiner
He was sitting in my lap and then lunged forward and whapped himself on the windowsill nearby. I’m gessing it won’t be his last.
Yesterday’s Adventure
The Big "01" is right around the corner
As we approach Ian’s first birthday on Wednesday, I am surprised (and if I’m honest, pleased) to tell you he isn’t really walking yet. He’s done three steps and that’s the limit- he’s busy breaking land speed records crawling after that. He is also making great progress on many other ongoing projects. For instance:
I wanna be a rock star!
Ian still loves music as much as he always has. Here he is at the Columbia Pike Blues Festival on Saturday, keeping the beat!
http://picasaweb.google.com/meghanegray/BluesFestival?authkey=g9PErogty_Y
Project Choppers
Always an ambitious teether, Ian is working on some molars and possibly his incisors at the same time. I guess he wants to be able to eat the good stuff for his birthday. Here he is feeding himself with a fork: http://picasaweb.google.com/meghanegray/UsingAFork?authkey=xWJSbM_V93k
and a spoon: http://picasaweb.google.com/meghanegray/FeedingMyselfWithASpoon?authkey=saBWVS316wg
Architecture and Advanced Legos
Of course, anything you can bang, roll, or build with is now his favorite toy- that means that he and Grandpa have a GREAT time playing with blocks: http://picasaweb.google.com/meghanegray/Blocks530?authkey=Cb7co–V9Sk
And Legos: http://picasaweb.google.com/meghanegray/Legos529?authkey=1BzR7R9res0
SAT Vocab
Ian continues to add new words every day, with a focus mainly on naming and commanding his minions. “Mama” is well entrenched, “Dada” has become “Daddy,” and he’s still working on Grandma (Rama) and Grandpa (Raba.) He’s learned to point and say “more,” and his most recent accomplishments include “uh-oh,” “thirsty,” and “teddy.”
Facial Recognition
More minions- Ian has learned to identify people in pictures. He will point at photos of people he knows if you say their names.
In, out, open, shut
Ever fascinated by drawers, cupboards, and things on shelves, Ian has mastered trashing the house and is starting to work on putting things into, on, or under said drawers, cupboards, and shelves. Unfortunately, I have not yet mastered his opportunistic style of organizing things, so I do spend some time either frantically searching or perplexedly wondering if I’ve lost my mind.
Everest, here I come
I said he wasn’t walking (of course, we all know that, as my mother says, there is no walking, there is only running, but I digress)- I never said he wasn’t building his mobility skills. Ian has learned to climb the couch (yes, up the back too), understands how to turn around when we tell him to get down “feet first,” and climbs onto the fire place regularly. He also thinks it’s funny to climb partway up the stairs at Grandma’s house and then jump off. (Yes, we plan to invest in a set of shock paddles so we can restart my heart from time to time.)
I hope you are all well- obviously we are keeping happy, healthy, and busy here. I’d be hard pressed to tell you what is my favorite part of any day- they are all filled with joy from one end to the next. Please know that even though I may not write as often as I’d like, I think of you all often! One more album and then I’ll say goodbye. Here we all are walking by the Potomac yesterday afternoon: http://picasaweb.google.com/meghanegray/OronocoToTideLock?authkey=5g92dSwjGCo
Ian’s First Joke
Friday, as you know, Ian started saying the word “no.” Hooray for word #2. It has been pointed out that I will probably regret teaching him that one. Monday night he made a game out of that new word and his other word- shaking his head “no” and saying “da-da.” Then he’d laugh. He could have been telling me what I already knew, which is that Daddy was not at home, but I have decided to pronounce this Ian’s First Joke. As in, “I know these don’t go together, so this is funny!” I consider this his most important milestone to date. It’s a hard, cruel world without humor.
Word # 3: This morning he said “Mama.” Just as though he suddenly realized, after all this time, who the heck this woman is who is always around. Then, this afternoon, he celebrated by biting a small piece of skin off of my cheek.
I realize that I do not normally discuss my own accomplishments in personal growth, but I want to share with those of you who know me well and are perhaps thinking, lovingly, that you are sure I was less than polite at the moment I realized my child was actually eating my face, that I did NOT yell at my son. I calmly informed the little cannibal that it was time for his nap, kissed him, and put him to bed. However, he Did Not Nap.
Other than that, I have nothing to share except that the magnolias are out. It rained today, and tonight it is very windy, so they might be gone by morning, but they were very pretty this afternoon.
Ian’s New Word
is “no, no, no!” Not even 9 months old, and already oppositional. He shakes his head and says “no, no, no!” It’s cute now, but wait…
I created a knitted shamrock doorknob hanger based on Mary Thomas’s picot flowers, but with one thing and another didn’t get the pattern written in time for St. Pat’s. Oh, well, it will come around again next year, I suppose!
Spring has definitely sprung around here… We’ve got crocuses, forsythia, periwinkle, and I’m sure soon there will be azaleas. The wildlife is active, too. We heard a fox shrieking in the night last night. If you’ve never heard this, it sounds like a human in unearthly distress… we checked on the baby just to be sure it was the local fauna and not a new kind of baby illness and then went back to bed.
Here’s Ian enjoying the sunshine with that faraway look in his eye. Our march for babies team has raised more that $500 so far! We had another team training walk on Monday, and then all the babies got to play in the sun. Look for photos soon. Thank you so much to all our sponsors!
The latest fundraising development for the March is that 10% of each purchase from our Zazzle Shop will be donated to the March for Babies until 4/20/08.
Marching for Babies
First of all, I know everyone, everywhere has a favorite cause, and there is no reason why the one I’m currently supporting should be more important to you than any other good cause. I normally would not write to friends and family seeking support of a charitable cause, but I am really asking for your emotional support, so even if you do not care to make a financial donation, please keep reading.
Ian and I will be walking in the March of Dimes March for Babies at the end of April. Some of our friends are coming too, so we have a team of babies participating in the March for Babies. I was thinking about what the word “sponsorship” means, and I realized that NASCAR kept coming to mind, so here is the plan.
Ian’s sponsors will get a spot on the “car,” just like NASCAR sponsors. Obviously, in this case, the “car” is the stroller. I will put an image or phrase (of your choice, you so creative people) from each sponsor on the stroller while we train and during the March, and after the March, I will combine these images and any words of encouragement from friends and family into a keepsake for Ian. So please send whatever you have to offer in support of this project, whether it is a note, a rhyming couplet, a donation via the website, or two pennies and a nickel, and we will think of you while this blessedly healthy baby marches to help other babies who are no less loved. I will, of course, send photos as we deck out the “car,” so you can see what we’re up to. Your “GO IAN” is the most meaningful support we could have, and this way we can let the world know it.
Sponsorship donations can be as little or as much as you want- they accept donations as little as $5 via the website, and you could, of course, give me a dollar (or, as I say, two pennies and a nickel) to turn in. It all counts. If you want more information about the March for Babies or would like to donate money in support of Ian’s March, go here: http://www.marchforbabies.org/5feline5
And now, so this is not a mere crass, commercial appeal, here is the first photo I’ve managed to get featuring Ian’s brandy-new top teeth.
Heh
So, I know what you are thinking. “Hooray, another blog! I was worried we would run out! We’re SAVED!” Well, time will tell whether you enjoy my adventures in yarn and babies.
Today, Ian and I saw our first daffodils of the year. His first ever. I was far more impressed than he. I tried to show him crocuses and periwinkles yesterday, and he wasn’t impressed with those, either.
Our current “big” project is that Ian and I are training for a 3 mile walk in support of the March of Dimes, which is called March for Babies. So far this week, we have logged five training miles, aided and abetted by our beautiful weather.
That covers the baby, and as far as the yarn is concerned, I’m currently exploring the hopsac stitch and some cotton/acrylic yarn. More on this later. I’m also working on a knitted burp cloth, experimenting in no-slip bootie bottoms, and designing cats for color pattern knitting. For some reason I’ve been very unfocused this week, so hopefully I can pull myself together and see these documents through to the posting stage. Join my yahoo group to be notified when new patterns are available.
Holy Cow
So, are you all “newsed out” on these Ian updates? They’ve been fast and furious lately. Well, too bad, because today he took a step. One small step for Ian, one giant leap for mommy-needs-to-be-prepared-because-I-want-to-RUN. I had no idea one teeny, little, unsupported step could be so terrifying and exciting.
He also stood unsupported for the first time, but that seems just a TOUCH anti-climactic now, doesn’t it?
you can view photos and video from today here: http://picasaweb.google.com/meghanegray/BalmyWeatherInMarch
Unfortunately, the videos are identified by the tiniest little icon you have ever seen inside the picture. It’s easier to see if you click on the button that shows you bigger previews. Click on the video files and they will play. Let me know if you have trouble and I’ll send you the photobucket links.
Love to you all,
Meghan (and Michael, and Ian.)