No fun to be Cam

Big guy threw up on a regular basis between 4am and 7am. I've got him sucking on a little pedialyte popsicle. At the same time, he's terrible at blowing his nose... He rubs instead. So the skin under his nose is a mess. Poor guy. He's really mad he can't eat and drink yet. The pedialyte is a test run through for liquids.

No fun.

But here's some fun. I found a way to upload Cam's reaction to Santa for Christmas 2004:


If that doesn't work, you can visit the YouTube website if you'd like.

Technology testing

So since I'm so obsessed with Flickr, I thought I'd test YouTube. Here is a little video I shot from my camera when the boy was a itty bitty baby. I had hoped to post last year's Maine video, but it's 2 minutes too long to qualify for YouTube. Bummer.



I hope that works. IF it doesn't, you can view it from the YouTube site

Cam wouldn't take a nap this afternoon. I'm annoyed. I told him he'd have to go to bed after dinner if he didn't take a nap. And like everything else we agree upon... He'll throw a fit later when I make him go to bed early. But that's just how things are going to be today.

9 days

Cameron is counting down to his birthday. When we figured out there were 9 days left, he gasped in excitement.

I spent the day making party bags for his birthday at school, finding primary color table cloths and plates... I even ordered the big cake for his party. I'm planning two parties -- one for close friends at a very cheesy pizza playland and one at school. I'm putting together a Little Einsteins party... Our first birthday that requires I become a bit creative since Disney has decided not to really oversell the Little Einsteins product -- They see more money in Baby Einstein products. Anyway. I'm going to bake my own cupcakes this year. Last year I struggled with rice krispie treats in the shape of stars. I will never use a cookie cutter on rice krispie treats again. That was hard work.

Anyway. Cam was sent home sick from school today. He spiked a fever... and it continues to spike. He's on the Motrin-Tylenol-Motrin treatment to keep it down. His teachers thought he was strangely good at school today -- It's because he was sick. Poor buddy.

So on my final day of maternity leave, I'll have both kids with me. I think I'll just enjoy my children and relish my new life.

That was insane

Cameron lost control this morning. Complete control. He left for school kicking and screaming... I'm afraid to call Randy to find out if he was kicking and screaming the entire way in the car.

I'm trying to figure out how to prevent it from happening again. Cam woke up sometime after 6am... Way too early. Of course he was complaining that he was hungry. Apparently he thinks that's the only thing he can say to actually get us to move in the morning. I told him to get dressed if he was hungry. But he cried instead. All the pounding and crying woke up the baby.

So I took care of the baby. Cam said he was hungry. I told him to get dressed. So he cried more.

This pattern continued until about 7:25. He and Randy have to leave the house at 7:30. He hadn't eaten breakfast and totally fell out when he discovered he had to eat his breakfast in the car.

It was all around ugly and stressful.

Plus, he already lost two of the three "dots" on his board to get the chance to watch TV. That's going to go over really well tonight.

My big ham

Cam is a ham. And this visit to his Uncle's house is proof that my boy is one heck of a performer. Yesterday and today, he's been really into performing. I don't mean throwing fits (which is a performance in its own way). I mean getting up on a "stage" and performing. The first thing he did was get up on a patio table and perform for anyone. Later, he grabbed his Wiggles guitar and microphone and just danced and sang to his heart's delight. Amazing to watch and it just brings a smile to your face... Even if you've heard the songs so often that you want to scream. His joy in performing is so worth the constant Wiggles songs.

The TV time board is going pretty well... Tonight, Cam was getting really tired, so it wasn't really working. But I'll give it a little more time before I decide we need to try ANOTHER type of behavior modification plan. (I like that instead of bribery system)

Busy day

Cam got to be in a really big St. Patty's Day parade. That included 2 hours of playing in the staging area and walking around 2 miles. He was tired, very tired. Luckily, he took a nap! Later this afternoon, he started dancing on a table outside. Classic picture. Classic.

Trying to do it different

I tend to use threats a lot when Cameron acts up. I know this isn't the way to go. I know I have to break that habit. I'm not sure when I started the threats. But I know it has to stop. So I've come up with a reward system. Today Cam came home from school with this on the door in the kitchen: Cam's TV Time board. He was intrigued and excited that he had already earned the "Get Dressed" dot. If he earns three dots in a day, he gets to watch a show. The other dots: "No tantrums" and "Eat dinner."

So we gave it a run today. Cam didn't throw any tantrums and he considered eating a pea at dinner, but didn't. So he came one dot shy of getting to watch a show. We're getting there.

Now, at bed time, he threw a doozy... But I think it was more because he needed to be asleep and I waited too long to get him to bed.

One other development in the world of Cam. He's starting to stand and pee. I know everyone wants to know that. But consider this one. I noticed he was in the bathroom this evening and decided things were too quiet behind the closed door. So after he tells me he's cleaning up... I find him using the hand towel to dry up his inability to aim properly. And it made me wonder if he's done that before. Ewwwwwww.

Warning: Gross topic

So you know we've had problems with Cam flooding the toilet. That problem has gotten better. So I'm encouraging Cam to use the bathroom and clean up on his own.

Today that could have been a mistake.

I heard him up there... And I realized a little too late that he was too quiet in that bathroom. So I go in and ask him what he's doing. "I'm cleaning up." Well, it turns out he was cleaning up water he used to clean his butt. Yeah. Toilet water. Disgusting bacteria-filled toilet water. I puked a little in my mouth and asked him to wash his hands thoroughly. I started scrubbing the bathroom, scrubbed my hands and started the bath for Cam to disinfect.

Gross. Gross. Gross.

But he was very sweet after the bath. He wanted to play hide and seek in his towel. Instead, he threw the towel on top of his head and said: "I'm Little White Riding Hood." For some reason I thought that was a darn good joke for someone who is almost 4.

We read Dr. Seuss' "ABC" book and Eric Carle's "The Very Busy Spider." Both books left us with a good book buzz. You know, that smile you wear on your face when you close the book. We felt warm and happy. Putting Cam to bed was a peaceful event after that.

By the way. I'm working on coming up with an award system where Cam has to earn his right to watch TV. Randy thinks I've been too hard on him by just taking the TV away and there needs to be more purpose to it than just saying NO to TV. Today we actually got Cam to eat some of the dinner I made by holding TV over his head. Next step: vegetables for watching The Wiggles. It may be the only way a green bean will pass through his lips.

(That picture at the top was taken in the last hour before we headed to the airport during our Florida trip. I just got it into my computer tonight because Cam dropped my camera on the cement that day. I finally found a USB cord that fit my computer and allowed me to download the remaining trip photos... Most of the pictures were of Cam being cute out at my parent's pool and near their new, cool water fountain in the lake.)

A mouse

There is a mouse in our house. I saw it run out of our pantry and I screamed.... Which was a horrible example to my son. Now he's sitting on the chair in the kitchen telling me he's afraid of mice.

I'm such a bad example.

TV hiatus

I've had it. Yup. I'd had it with Cam's whining and crying because he wants to watch TV. We're going on another TV hiatus. We did this sometime when he was 2. I'm doing it again. I'm sick and tired of listening to Cam freaking out about TV.

Tonight was the topper. Jordan and I picked him up from school and we decided we'd go to Burger Kind for dinner and to play in the indoor playground. Can I just say how brave he was during this trip? It was amazing. He climbed to the top, he went into the helicopter and rocket. He even climbed through a mesh tunnel. He still won't go down the slides and got a little freaked out as he climbed back down the "stairs" of the playground. But he did it. He did it many times and I never had to climb in and rescue him. That was pretty great to watch. Not to mention, his friend Nathan and Nathan's brother Matthew happened to be there at the same time so they all got to play together.

So we went home, I put the baby to bed while Cam played in the bathroom. (You don't want to know... but the good news is he didn't flood the toilet) It was obvious that Cam was getting tired, but I promised him that we'd bake cookies. So after Jordan went down, we threw dough on a cookie sheet and shoved it in the oven. We talked and waited. Then he gobbled down some cookies (my tummy is still upset, so I couldn't eat any).

That's when I announced it was time for bed. And it was. But Cam freaked out because he didn't get to watch his show. He wanted to watch the Wiggles. All out freak-out. I told him it was time to go to bed, we could watch it tomorrow. He kept freaking out. I said that if he continued to freak out, he would lose his chance to watch the show tomorrow. He freaked out more. I've had it. We're going to keep busy in other ways. He can play with Leapster, that's as close as he's getting to TV. I realize Randy will be annoyed with this, but I'm tired of the TV freak outs.

Cam is a wreck. It took a very dramatic reading of The Cat in the Hat to pull him out of his new TV hiatus funk. I'm willing to put in the effort to live a non-TV life with the boy. It will require more PlayDoh and finger painting time. I don't see much wrong with that.

Mommy and Cam time

This morning, Cam woke up an hour before Jordan. What the heck?

Anyway. I took Cam to school on my way to teach a class on campus. I decided to pick him up early from school since I didn't want to go back and forth between the house. So that gave Cam and I the chance to play outside while the baby took a nap. We had a ball. We played basketball -- and it's so great to see him hit the shots on his 5 foot basketball hoop. (Randy put it higher since Cam is growing so much) We hit the baseball... Jumped around... Played with bubbles... And the best part: Cam pulled two chairs together and we made it into a flying ladybug. We both sat facing each other making up stories and songs and laughing at the dogs. I just sat there looking at my happy guy knowing how lucky I am that we have this time together. I took pictures and then we giggled at the pictures. It was a nice time to be a Mom.

Right now he's playing with his Leapster -- learning about letters and getting really good at playing the games. We're excited to pick out the books we're going to read tonight. There's a book reading exercise going on at school and Cam is really into it. The funny thing is they get a free pizza at the end. Cam doesn't like pizza. Hopefully this will be our first step towards him eating pizza.

Only time will tell.

"Are you doing okay?"

I wasn't feeling great yesterday. I was actually pretty miserable. And poor Cam had to deal with me and my misery.

He was so sweet. Every once and a while he'd check on me: "Mommy, are you doing okay?"

Today I'm feeling human again. But Cam wouldn't hear it. When I told him I was feeling better, he said: "No, you're still sick." I guess he likes taking care of me.

A good end to it all

The last thing Cam said before he went to bed tonight: "I'm sorry I yelled at you Mommy."

Wow.

I told him I was sorry too and I hope we can both do better tomorrow.

I broke a plate

Cam had his last swim class for this session. It continues next month. He's going to have to stay in level one for at least one more session... he missed two classes and he's still pretty nervous in the water. But he's amazingly brave from where he started a month and a half ago. Anyway. When we came back, Jordan was hungry, Cam was hungry. I was hungry. So I tried to get some PB&J made before I fed the baby. Then Cam started wigging out because I wouldn't let him watch a movie. I mean really wigging out -- Screaming, thrashing. I sent him to his room. I was so upset, I threw the knife down into the plate with my sandwich and broke a chunk off the plate. I'm such a bad parent. I don't know why this small human who only weight 41 pounds can evoke so much emotion in me. He knows my buttons that's for sure.

He's been sent to his room twice today. The second time he threw toys all over the place and I made him clean it up before he could come out. He did apologize: "Sorry I made my room messy."

But we're having a great day. Really.

The Men's Room

Cameron doesn't like going to the bathroom in the women's bathroom. He gets upset when he has to go potty with me. So today I took him to the Bread Co. (aka Panera) where I was meeting with students for an independent class meeting. Near the end of our talk, Cam had to go potty. He demanded to go to the men's room and he'd be okay. A mom walked by me and said her 9 year old would be willing to help.

So the 9 year old walks in after Cam and promptly walks out and asks me how old Cam was. Then he asked me how old I was. Then he told me that when I turned 60 my ankles would grow.

Huh?

Anyway. Cam was in that bathroom and he was taking a while. That's when I realized he didn't just pee in the men's room. I heard the toilet paper rolling and rolling.. And I was afraid he was going to clog the toilet. It's a problem he's caused at our house a number of times recently. Anyway. I ended up going into the men's bathroom to help him clean up. It kind of defeated the whole purpose of letting him go into the men's room on his own. Oh well.

Cam went to another meeting on campus with Jordan and I... He got to play with Lily. The two of them danced and sang in the convergence lab. Very amusing to me and to a few students. Cam didn't get to school until it was lunch time... Good thing he ate a huge cinnamon roll because they were eating pizza and corn: Two foods he doesn't like.

I just got him to bed. He lost his tent this morning. He decided to wake up around 4 this morning and proceeded to walk in and out of our room a number of times. I didn't wake up to it, but Randy did. He pretended to stay asleep. I don't have proof, but I think he woke the baby from walking into her room too many times. I got up to take care of her, then Cam went into Randy and cried that he needed a lullaby. He didn't get one before he went to bed that night. That's when I told him the tent was gone if he got out of bed again.

So he stayed in bed and cried my name for a good 20 minutes. When he screamed "MOMMY!!!!" That's when I walked in and took the tent away. He went to bed tonight without the tent. I told him he doesn't get it back unless he doesn't wake me up until it says 7 on his clock.

I pray that works.

Just when I thought I was a good parent...

Today was the only day that wasn't overly scheduled this week, so Jordan and I went shopping. I picked up the two out of three presents we planned to give Cam for his birthday: The Lady and the Tramp and a Wiggles plate set. Randy just has to pick out a baseball mit and we're done.

So when I got home, I put it all in a bag and pit it on the stairs.

Jordan and I took a nap. When I got up, we headed to a nearby garden... It was an amazing day and I was excited to get outside with the baby. I called Randy and suggested he grab Cam and have dinner at the garden. A little family time outside. Great idea! Not long after Cam and Rabdy got there and we had settled sown into our family time... Cam said he needed to go potty. So Randy and Cam drove away. Jordan and I walked home. During the walk I was feeling like a good parent. I played with the baby outside... My family had outside time together. Bur when I got home I realized I messed up:

Cam found his presents on the stairs.

I was so excited to go outside, I forgot to put that stuff away. I had to tell Cam the movie was for his birthday and he's have to wait. That was ugly. Now that he's calmed down... He keeps saying: "I'm so excited I got the Lady and the Tramp movie." I stink. This kid doesn't forget a thing... So his birthday won't be much of a surprise. I'm not a very good parent today.