Big Boy Bed!

Disclaimer: This is not a very entertaining read. It's not meant to be. It's for me to document what we have done to help get Banner into a big boy bed at what is probably the worst timing a parent could ever dream of. . . . okay, it could be worse, but admit it - this is not ideal! 

If you read this post, you know that we've been ready and waiting for Banner to tell us when he was ready for a switch from the crib to his big boy bed and bedroom. Well, it didn't take long! It's only been a couple days/nights, so I hate to write this post so soon and not have a confident feeling about what's going to happen - for better or for worse. But, I also wanted to go ahead and document what's been happening around here during this big transition.

First of all, I should say that Banner has been having awful issues falling asleep at night. It all started on a Saturday night when he cried on and off for "Mommy, Daddy" for about two hours. We would go in, soothe/calm, and then leave his room, but inevitably he would start right back up again as soon as we left the room. We would give some wait time, let him try to self-soothe, but it just wasn't happening. After two hours of that nonsense, I finally picked him up from the crib and rocked him in the glider for about 10-15 minutes where he passed out. This started a crying session of my own! As I went to put him in his crib, I saw a flashback, a glimpse, of his 4-month-old face sleeping comfortably in Mommy's arms. I left his room a complete mess, and that didn't really let up for about half an hour. I guess Mommy needed that - a reminder of how fleeting these moments are, how fast my boy has grown, and how another little baby will be sleeping in this crib so soon. It was just too much for me to take and not cry it out myself.

The rest of the week consisted of a very similar routine - mostly every other night. But, by the following weekend, Banner had learned that if he took 2-3 hours to go to sleep (yes, THREE HOURS!), Mommy would eventually cave and rock him to sleep. So frustrated and needing to cut my OWN crying, I decided on Sunday (August 18th) that I was NOT going to pick him up, not going to rock him, not going to keep rubbing his back, not switch off turns with Sam (in fact, he left the house after saying goodnight to Banner to watch the season finale of True Blood with his dad). I decided I would go back to our regular "rules" for bedtime issues: whoever put him to sleep the first time deals with the sleep disturbances, no picking up once he's in the crib, etc. I waited 3 minutes, then 5 minutes, then 7, then 10, and finally 15 before going in to him each time. By 9:00, he must have gotten so pissed that I wasn't coming in (at the 15-minute interval), that he took matters into his own hands and climbed out of the crib.

I watched it happen. The monitor showed me all I needed to see - that he could do it, that he was willing to just swing that leg over and scale down the outside of the crib. He quickly made his way to his bedroom door and opened it to find me in the hallway. I very sternly told him, "We do NOT climb out of bed. Get back in your bed NOW!" and I picked him up, put him back, and walked out the door. Which only sent him over the edge even more. Again, he cried and wailed, and I felt so badly for my boy. He's been an exceptionally well-behaved kid, too, which only aggravated me more and more as I tried to understand what he's going through right now. And, with BBJ2 on the way, I felt/feel like this is just NOT the time to be ignoring him. But, it's also not the time to be giving into him and letting him change our rules we've worked so hard to instill these past two years.

Lo and behold, he was going to make sure I didn't ignore him anyway! He tried to climb out another time - only this time, I entered his room before he got over the rail. He immediately sat back down in the crib and continued crying. At this point, knowing he was probably scared and shaken by the discovery of climbing out and what all was going on in his head, I just patted his back and stood by his crib until he fell asleep.

When Sam came home that night, I was a huge ball of stress! Knowing we needed to follow our doctor's advice to move Banner out of the crib once he had climbed out twice, I was stressing about the timing of all of this. Three weeks out from a new baby brother, one week away from starting school, and during a week of complete sleep disturbance! This was just NOT the time to be making such a big change, but at the same time, from a safety perspective, I couldn't let him stay in the crib any longer. In fact, we had hoped he might "forget" that he could climb out by the next day, but first thing in the morning, when Sam tried to pick Banner up from the crib, Banner insisted, "Banner do it!" and refused to let Daddy pick him up. He showed Sam how he climbs out all by himself - and that's when Sam and I looked at each other and almost in unison said, "And, he's done."

This was on the same morning that I had an OB check-up, and with the anxiety of knowing I'd be helping Banner make this big change starting later that day at nap time, I was certain my blood pressure was going to be sky high. Luckily, it wasn't! (In fact, it was the lowest it's been the entire pregnancy!) But, I certainly felt like a basket case. I was so anxious for nap, for bed, for knowing I wouldn't be getting good sleep for a while, for the sanity of my family as we prepare to welcome another member of this family who would be monopolizing our sleep.

But, as usual, my boy taught me that he knows what he's doing. He seemed so ready for this. As with other transitions, I'm usually way more uptight about it than I need to be - way more anxious than he is. He did great at nap! I expected no nap. I expected to have to be in and out of his room all afternoon. But, nope! He slept great. Not as long as he did for a crib nap, but an hour and a half... I'll take it!

I'll toot my own horn for a minute, though, and say that I did a few things to help him with this transition. I made a sticker chart and explained it to him before his nap. We discussed only two rules for his big boy bed (for now): Stay in Bed & Quiet. The graphics on his sticker chart really helped him understand these, and he immediately said "Shhh!" as he looked at the second picture. I kept his nap routine the same - including using a sleep sack like he was used to in his crib for naps. And, when he did call me in twice before he fell asleep, I was very encouraging and reinforced how I liked that he stayed in his bed, that he was laying down so nicely, that he was such a big boy!

Later that night, again I was anxious for how the night would go. But, again, I explained the rules for his big boy bed, explained the sticker chart, reminded him of his rewards, kept his routine the same, moved more of his belongings in from his "old" room (his dresser, his bookshelf and books, his knickknacks). We read books to him at the foot of his bed (since there's a rail at the side that makes it hard for us to get in and out of the bed), and Daddy put him to sleep. Shortly after, he told Sam he wanted Mommy, so Sam came to get me (when we also decided that I'd be the one to deal with all the issues til he fell asleep since he seems to be on a "Mommy kick" these days).

My goal for the night was to make this a pleasant, calm, drama-free night. I wanted Banner to know he was safe in that room and that he could trust me. So, I went to him, gently rubbed his back for a few minutes, and then I told him I would check on him in a few minutes. He asked me not to close the door, which I was happy to do if it made him feel more in control. Then, a few minutes later, I came back in, rubbed his back again and told him how proud of him I was. He said, "Yeah!" with his paci dangling out of his mouth. Then he said, "All done! M's?" (for M&Ms). I told him he had to go to sleep first and when he wakes up in the morning he could have his stickers and get some "M's"! And, for about an hour I continued to go in and let him know he was doing a great job, pat his back, and walk out. I let the intervals get longer between going to him to reinforce his great job, and eventually (an hour after we put him in the bed), he had put himself to sleep. No tears, no getting up, no yelling. It made me one proud Mama!

Then, at 1:40am, he woke up crying and yelling for me. I jumped up so fast - a little too fast for Baby's liking as I cringed with round ligament pain and curled back up over the bedside. Sam started to go to Banner, but I insisted I do it. I limped in to Banner's room and started a two hour ordeal of trying to get him to go back to sleep. For about 20 minutes, I was in and out just as I had been at the start of the night. Then, I decided the back and forth was really too much for me physically. So, I sat on the floor next to his bed, and 40 minutes later, I decided I should try to sneak out. Unfortunately, he was still awake and cried for me again as I left. That's when I decided Sam should have the luxury of a turn on the floor. :) So, for an hour, Sam sat next to the bed and waited for Banner to fall asleep. And he did, and then we did!

At 7:30, Banner called my name as he walked through the hallway to our room. "Mommmmmy! I wake uuuupp!!" And, he came to my side of the bed to get in bed with us. I wish he had stayed in his bed, but I can't have everything, right? And then, he immediately asked for his M's! I gladly gave him his stickers as we looked at his chart and evaluated whether he had successfully followed the rules. I agreed he had (minus the getting out of bed in the morning), and I gave him his chocolate (yes, first thing in the morning!).

Earlier today he took a great nap - two hours and never got up or called me (minus one initial call that I ignored and he moved on). For this nap, I moved the plush crib bumper into his bed to help with the transition. He has used it as a pillow for at least half a year now, so I think it could help him feel more "at home" in his new bachelor pad.

And now, this evening, he took about 50 minutes to fall asleep. So far so good - but I'm definitely going to bed earlier than usual in case we are up again throughout the night. Sam is passed out next to me already. :)

I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help make this transition more seamless for him and for Sam and me. Every book and article I've read says not to make the switch to a bed less than 2-6 MONTHS before a baby sibling is born. They also say not to make the change until at least 4 months AFTER a baby is born. Well, this is not really my choice anymore. Banner kind of forced us into this, and that's okay. If he's ready, I'll have to be. And, whatever happens happens. So, even though the timing is awful, there are way too many big changes happening in this little boy's life all at once, and perhaps Mommy is way too emotional, hormonal, physically challenged, and anxious - but this is happening. So, here's to hoping we are making all the right choices for him, that our naps and our nights are full of good sleep, and that Banner continues to feel confident and safe in his big boy bed!

I want to make one special note to thank my many friends and my mom for listening to me, calming me, helping me through this change I've so been dreading - especially when it came at such an imperfect time! I also appreciate their honesty as they each pretty much said, "Yeah, you're screwed!" and didn't try to sugar coat the challenge of a big change or the timing of so many changes. To Robyn, to Cherie, to Randi, to Casey, to Logan, to Mom: Thank you. Thank you for letting me vent, for giving ideas, for listening to me cry, for tolerating the details as I gave a play-by-play, for giving me encouragement, and for helping me see the positives! And of course, thank you to Sam for being my partner through all of this - for supporting me when you can't be here after checking our mobile monitor app and seeing how hard I'm working to get our boy to sleep, for words of encouragement that I'm a good mom, and for tolerating my high anxiety and "overly-analyzed" concerns. This transition is still just beginning, and anything goes - I know - but thank you for your patience as we get through these next few weeks/months together. And most importantly, to Banner - thank you for being such a trooper these past few weeks as we organized your bedroom and tried to figure things out! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you, and we are constantly impressed by your maturity and grace with such big changes. You continue to teach me every day! Hang in there, Angel. We can do this together.

***

Here are a few pictures of him during this transition:

Screaming in his crib . . . before he climbed out. You can see the sound waves going nuts!

Much calmer now - but last night in the crib

Sticker chart - these are the two rules he has to follow

First nap - see him behind rail?

Finally asleep - first night

Our first night - there's Sam on the floor in the second and third pics. The fourth pic is first thing in the morning.

Second day - nap - with crib bumper

Losing Him Already

A week from tonight will be Banner's first official "school night." As I reflect on what that means for our family, I am somewhat saddened - even though I'm beyond excited for all the fun and learning that await my sweet boy. I asked Sam if it's weird that I feel a little down about Banner starting school - that this is our last week without "school" in our weekly routine. He completely understood and said, "No, it's not weird at all. It's the last week of having him all to ourselves when we can somewhat control what influences him."

I like the way Sam worded that. It helps me understand what might be bothering me. It's like we're losing Banner already - at least a part of him. I feel a huge lump in my throat as we "send him off into the big world" by himself. I can only imagine what taking him to college will feel like if I am already feeling so sad about him starting a three-day 2-year-old preschool program! But, truly, this is the first time he will be without a family member watching him, without someone hovering over most every move, and with more influences of friends and teachers to shape him into the person he's still becoming. We'll be entering a world of being accountable to be somewhere, to be there on time, to be there with all of our belongings, and to work with teachers to make this experience the best it can be.

From here on out, it's about backpacks and lunchboxes and projects and carpool and homework. It's about getting exposed to more germs but also heightened immunity, more social experiences but also others' poor choices, more information and knowledge but being challenged and frustrated. So, we have one more week of the carefree, school-free world, and then the academic and social world of a structured, formal education begins.

It's hard to let go of my baby when we've been the primary educators. We will certainly still be just that, but we become part of a team now. I just hope the next 16+ years of educators, peers, instructors, care takers are awesome team members! This child is the most important thing to me, and it's just so challenging to already feel like I'm losing him to the big world at only two.

Don't get me wrong. Like I said before, I can't wait for Banner to experience all the fun activities, meet amazing friends, learn from talented educators, and grow and develop his own sense of self more and more each day. So many exciting things await him, and I can't wait to be his cheerleader, his fan, his tutor, his support, his advocate throughout his education, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I feel so fortunate that we CAN send him to preschool, that he gets this amazing opportunity, and that we live in a country that values education and child development. But, I'm also allowed to feel a little sad about it already starting!

Showered!

This morning, I was on my way to Casey's house for a play date. I had cancelled going to an indoor play gym because I've been having some sciatic nerve issues that send pains down my back and legs. I decided to keep my play date because, well, what's the difference between sitting at my house and sitting at Casey's? Plus, at Casey's, I could have a nice chat with my friend while our boys entertained each other and played well together. But, I had no idea what really awaited me!

Banner and I parked in the empty driveway and walked up to the front door of Casey's house. Typically, her boys are waiting for us at the screen door and we walk right in. This time, the front door was only slightly open and I wasn't sure if we should just walk right in or not until I saw two little silhouettes run by. Then, I slowly opened the screen door and saw bodies sitting on the living room floor. Before I could even make out the faces I was seeing through the glare of the doorway, I thought to myself, "Who else is here, and where are their cars?" Then, faces started registering. These were my mommy friends who have been participating in "Camp Mommy" throughout the summer! "What are they doing here?" I thought, as I heard, "Surprise!" and "Welcome to your shower!" (Of course, one of my first thoughts (and statements) was that I hadn't fixed my hair this morning as I noticed Casey snapping photos! She knew I'd say something like that, she said, since the plan was just to be hanging out at her house! Oh well... I'm just glad I didn't show up in my pajamas - as there were days early in this pregnancy when I'd show up at her house with no make-up, no hair fixed, and clothing that I'd like no one to really see me in... but, I digress!)

What a true surprise! I have to say, I honestly don't remember the last time I was truly surprised. Not even my engagement was a surprise since I snooped on Sam's phone and saw that he had already drafted a text message to tell his friends that we were engaged! So, to be outsmarted by a group of ladies who I see pretty often was a big shock!

These ladies went all out, too! The kids got to play, we got to chat, there were awesome treats, the decor was fabulous, and Baby Brother was showered with lots of diapers and wipes and a generous gift card to top it all off!

I can't thank my friends enough for their generosity and thoughtfulness. And, Casey, thank you for cooking, cleaning, opening up your home to us, and decorating with such creativity! I feel so blessed to have such sweet mommy friends who showered me with love today!

Here are a few pictures Casey captured:

Walking in

Caden enjoying his blueberry "cupcake"

Everett

This picture scares me but had to put a baby bump pic in

Gretchen, Ryan, Matthew, and Amy

With Gretchen & Ryan

With Anya & Shayna

With Shauna & Brayden

With Laura and Simon (and another bun in the oven)

With Casey

With Casey & our FOUR boys!

Big Boy Bedroom!

Banner has lived in the same Bachelor Pad since he was born, and I love his nursery! I was adamant that Banner would not be moved at all (neither out of his room nor out of his crib) just because Baby Brother was coming into the house. I never wanted Banner to have to grow up any faster just because a new baby would be around, and I never wanted him to feel like he was bumped out of his babyhood too soon just so we could save money on a crib for his brother.

But, after much contemplation and brainstorming with Sam, we finally decided that the alternative was actually probably better for Banner in the long run. The vacant room, which has served as an office, a guest room, and/or a storage mess(!) at various times in the 7 years I've lived in this house, is not only bigger with a higher ceiling than Banner's current bedroom, but it also was a blank slate to decorate and make into a big boy room. We decided to go ahead and get Banner's big boy bed with the idea that it would initially be used as a guest bed for my mom and sister (and whoever may stay over to help out) once BBJ2 arrives. Since we needed one of those anyway, it kind of worked out to keep Banner in his crib and his nursery until we got the new bedroom organized for a guest with what would become Banner's bedding and future bedroom. Baby Brother will be sleeping in our bedroom for a couple months anyway, so Banner can stay put for at least that amount of time. In addition, my cousin generously offered her daughter's former crib for us to use for the baby if Banner is still in his crib when BBJ2 is out of the Pack-n-Play in our room. (If that is the case, then Banner will have a bed and a crib in his new room, and he'll be able to choose which one he wants to sleep in.) 

So, the past few weeks have been spent researching, pricing, comparing, picking bedding, reorganizing, down-sizing, cleaning, choosing paint color, and finally putting our plan into action! Once we moved out some furniture and tried our best to make room for all of our crap stuff in other parts of the house (our poor dining room has become a make-shift storage facility), Sam painted the new Bachelor Pad an awesome light gray color that I love! It looks great! Then, we added the new big boy bed and made it up just for Banner.

THE BOY LOVES IT! Between each step of setting up the bed (first the box spring, then the mattress, then the mattress pad, then the sheet...), Banner would climb up and say, "Big boy bed! Night-night!" and then proceed to lay down, close his eyes, and say, "Bye, Mommy! Bye, Daddy!" Then, we would walk out, and he would yell, "Close door!" Sam and I giggled listening to him, but in all honesty the thought of him being so ready to settle in to his new room and his new bed so quickly scares me! I'm not necessarily ready for him to be in that bed. The emotional part of me doesn't want my baby out of his crib yet. The logical part of me doesn't want to fight him at bed and nap time to stay in his bed/room. I have no idea how this transition will go, and knowing the way Banner sleeps and doesn't like covers, I'm not so sure he really understands how different this will be. But, we shall see! At this rate of excitement, we may lose the "guest room" idea and have some kind of alternative for Mom/Kira when they spend the night those early weeks after I deliver.

The room looks great. I'm really pleased with it, and I'm ready to slowly make it really ready for Banner: bringing in his dresser, his books, his name letters. I'm excited for him to have something special and new just for him. Poor BBJ2 will get a used room and all of Banner's "old" bedding - it's just easier and cheaper to be honest. I figure he won't know the difference anyway, and one day, he'll get his own brand new stuff. He will, however, get his own name put up above the crib! :)

So, so much for my "we're not changing anything" approach! Looks like our boy may be more ready than we are to get into that big boy bed! So far, he has not slept in his room or big boy bed at night or at nap, and I kinda hope he doesn't any time soon. I will, however, post more about this topic in the coming weeks/months since this transition, as exciting as it is, is one I'm anxious about - and quite dreading!

Just the beginning of a complete room!

85% Baked

At 34 weeks pregnant, a week into August, I'm finally frustrated with the heat. I'm not complaining about it at all - because Lord knows it could have been a MUCH hotter summer (like the record-breaking heat of 1980 when I was born - when the thermometers were pushed to 113 degrees throughout June). Honestly, June and July were actually pleasant - with rain, cooler-than-normal high temps, and breezes that blew on occasion. But, August. . . August is here with 3-digit temperatures and relentless heat that makes you feel like you're walking into a hair dryer whenever you go outside. Truthfully, I'd be annoyed with this heat no matter what - pregnant or not. I'm not (at this point, at least) finding myself more bothered by heat than any other time in my life. I hate sweating, I hate being hot, I hate feeling sticky in the humid summer heat - regardless of a protruding belly or elevated hormone levels.

But, that's just a part of the picture. At 34 weeks, I'm feeling great! Uncomfortable, sure. Swollen feet, absolutely. Getting more and more exhausted, yes. But, I am hanging in there! I definitely find myself wanting to sit down more, mostly because my feet ache most of the day (the middle is the easiest part... they usually hurt first thing in the morning and late at night), and also because my belly is getting heavier and heavier, especially down low. I'm not carrying this baby any differently than I carried Banner, but true to the myths of "carrying boys," my babies sit front and center and don't distribute themselves to the sides or even up very high.

I'm feeling Baby move a whole lot. Some days he's quieter than others, which always terrifies me and makes me unnecessarily concerned! But, sure enough, the next day or two, he will make up for lost time and punch and roll all over the place. As I've always said, this is by far my most favorite part of being pregnant and the thing I will miss the most once he's born. It's a pretty incredible feeling as he's getting bigger and I can begin to feel knees, elbows, his back, or a tush from the outside. And, even though he doesn't look like he's up there, he certainly lodges himself under my ribs from time to time. This always makes it hard to bend/lean forward or take a deep breath, but this discomfort will only last a short time and soon I'll miss these movements and feel somewhat lonely without him in/with me all the time.

I still have lots of energy for Banner. I'm surprised at how many nights I want to bathe him, and that I'm still rubbing his back over the crib rail at night. I thought by now I would have given those tasks to Sam completely. But, I've made accommodations that allow me to still participate physically, and I'm trying to take advantage of all this time. I have no idea how long I will be able to do these things with Banner - both during and after pregnancy. And, I have no idea how my RA will be affected once this baby is born, so I'm still at a place of appreciation and gratitude to be given my joints back for a while! Getting on and off the floor isn't easy with a big belly - but it hasn't been easy for me for over a year now due to knee and wrist pain, so I traded one issue in for another - and I'll GLADLY take the belly discomfort over the knee and wrist issues, especially if it means I can comfortably sit "criss-cross applesauce" for a while (which I couldn't do before about 14 weeks pregnant). I will say that my lap is disappearing, and reading to Banner in the glider at night is getting more challenging. He even seems to be uncomfortable as he tries to cuddle with me in the chair while his body has to contort around mine. He likes to poke and push on my belly and say things like, "Baby Brother in there."

Speaking of, we've been doing a whole lot of preparing for Baby Brother. I've shown Banner the newborn clothes, and we talk about how tiny he will be. We read books about new babies in a family, and we are taking Banner to a sibling class this Saturday. He gives Baby Brother kisses and hugs, and when Baby has the hiccups, I tell Banner to come feel my belly. I'm still not sure how much he understands, but I'm hoping that all this talk will be helpful in a few weeks.

I have a doctor's appointment next week, and after that appointment, I will start seeing the doctor weekly. I'm hoping we will get a C-section date scheduled soon - so I can better prepare. But, in the meantime, I have already started packing my hospital bag just in case this baby already has his own (early) date set. I'm hoping that is not the case, but I've learned not to expect ANYTHING! So, it is what it is, and we will just have to wait and see how things pan out.

So, what else can I tell you?

Days to go: Only 42 (minus a few if we deliver at 39 weeks instead of 40)

Size of baby: I haven't had a sonogram since 28 weeks, so I'm not sure what this particular kid is weighing or measuring now, but I'm told that babies at this point are about 18 inches long and not quite 5 pounds - about the size of a cantaloupe.

Total Weight Gain: 25 pounds

Sleep: Still sleeping really well, although Banner hasn't been sleeping as great - so I find myself anxiously checking the clock during the night - hoping he keeps sleeping - but then I go right back to sleep

Symptoms: Awful reflux, lots of Braxton Hicks, decreased interest in eating (especially meals, I'd much rather snack - and I'm drawn to sweets and fruit), swollen ankles (especially my right foot), and increased need to pee more often (this is new - I've never been a pregnant pee-er!) :)

What I'm most anxious about: As I mentioned in my last update, I'm still anxious about my RA returning, about the pain and chore that is breastfeeding and whether it will work for me this time or not (I'd like for it to, but I'm not going to get hopes too incredibly high because I can't imagine why this time around would be any different), and sleeping once Baby Brother arrives. But, I'm trying not to get too far ahead of myself. It is what it is - and whatever that is - I will deal with it!

Prep for Baby: Lots of organizing! We're moving things around this house like crazy. Each weekend, we have been getting a lot done. This week, Sam will get our newborn clothes from our storage facility, and I'll start going through those. Banner's big boy room is ready to go - once he's ready for it. And, we'll move a few more items from the "nursery" to his new room soon. I've started buying newborn and size 1 diapers at a very slow rate when grocery shopping. And, my hospital bag is more than half-way packed.

Baby's Name:  HA! As if I'd tell you! ;) But yes, he does have a name, and you'll just have to wait until B-Day to find out!

Now that it's August, it's feeling really close! It's feeling like a lot is about to change. My Camp Mommy "program" is coming to an end in a couple weeks, Banner will be starting preschool, and I'll be so close to meeting this little boy who is now 85% baked and ready to greet the world! Ready or not, this is happening, and it's happening somewhat soon! There are some days I can't wait, there are some days I totally can, but it really doesn't matter how I feel because within 5-6 weeks, I will have a second son!

Camp Mommy: Weeks 7-8

There have been several specific events that I've looked forward to on our Camp Mommy calendar this summer, and some of them happened these past couple weeks! As I've mentioned in these past posts, my goals in organizing a calendar for our summer were to keep me from going nuts while waiting for BBJ2, to keep Banner entertained and educated all summer, and to give us some quality time together before Baby Brother enters the picture! So far, all goals have been met, and these past couple weeks have been no exception! Whether it's due to increased activity or simply passage of time as he gets older - or both, I have noticed a significant increase in Banner's vocabulary and sentence structure. He's growing and developing in almost every aspect, and I couldn't be more proud. He's making complex connections, remembering lots of experiences from the summer, and generating new ideas and concepts daily!

My two favorite activities from Week 7 were definitely taking Banner to his first movie and trying out yet another new indoor facility. I'd been looking forward to experiencing a movie with Banner since June, so it was really nice that he actually made it through the entire movie. We saw Sesame Street: Follow that Bird at Studio Movie Grill. It was part of the Children's Summer Series, and it was the perfect movie to pick. I'm glad my mom got to be a part of the experience as well, and it was certainly helpful to have her around to distract, redirect, and contain my active boy. There were a few times he wanted to stand in his chair, get up and walk around, or crawl under the table, but mostly if we redirected his attention to the movie by showing him a character or seeing if he wanted more of his snack/lunch, he would easily watch the movie again. All-in-all, it was a great time for him, and as we left he kept saying, "More movie!" I'm not sure we'll go again this summer or not, just not sure they are playing a movie that would hold his interest like that again, but I'll think about it! The other favorite was a facility that's only been open for two months, and my friend, Casey, told me about it several weeks ago. I was thrilled when she blogged about it, too, and we were able to get a group of friends together to go check it out! This place did not disappoint!! In fact, we will definitely be going again and again! (For privacy reasons, I am not disclosing the name of the facility, but if you are interested, message me or comment below.)

Standing in his chair watching the movie

Mom and Banner

First ticket stub!

Cool slide!

At the sensory board

Playing with rice

Classroom

This room was by far MY favorite, and once I got Banner to push past the fear of the dim room, he was all about it, too! SO many cool things to do in this sensory quiet room!

 

Highlights from Week 8: I loved taking Banner to the splash park with his cousins Colby and Miles this week! Not only did they all play well together, but Banner stayed on the splash pad area - which is a big change since the beginning of the summer. It was nice to hang out on the playground and the spray area with Colby, Miles, and Aunt Gayle. Later that same day, Banner and I tried out some ice play in the backyard, but it was a complete FLOP. I made this recipe and, although the letters were vibrant and cute, the taste was way too lemony (even though I only used four lemons, as opposed to the suggested six), and in this awful afternoon heat, the letters melted immediately. I had to capture a few pics really fast! They melted so fast that whenever Banner tried to pick them up or move them, they fell apart right away. There was NO time to really talk about the letters or sounds or play with them at all. It turned into a mess, and we quickly turned the hose on to wash away the colorful puddles on the cookie sheet. However, playing in the water and dirt after that disaster was a lot of fun! We also had a blast with Grandma at the gym (the same one I wrote about in week 7 above), the library, and Chick-fil-A (with a special ice cream treat to top it all off)! Finally, we tried out a Gymboree Play & Learn class for free - it was a great way to spend the morning, but definitely not something I'm interested in signing Banner up for.... not only is it way overpriced, but he really just wanted to do his own thing and not follow the teacher or even the other kids. He thoroughly enjoyed the equipment and running everywhere, though! I enjoyed watching him have fun, although I wished he had paid better attention to the directions of the teacher. His favorite part was running up and over inner tube "hills" that were under the floor mats. Such a giggly boy during this activity! The teacher was impressed with his abilities and told me he was, "Awesome," "So sweet," and "Very advanced," but she may have been kissing my a$s for us to sign up. (I do happen to agree with her, though!)

This was taken through the screen door but too cute not to post!

Ball pit at the Gym with Matthew and Ryan

"Help, Mommy!"

"An umbrella!" he said as he climbed up.

Ready to jump off!

A "selfie"

Other stuff we did these two weeks: went to story time at the public library, got a haircut, visited "Banner's school" where Aunt Kira is working, had fun with NaNa & Uncle Paul when they babysat, went to a workshop at Lowe's with Daddy, played and had brunch with Avery, Jed, and Cherie, played at Ella's house, experimented with scissors (so not ready for them yet!), enjoyed a morning alone at the park by 8:00am with my teething boy who wouldn't sleep past 5:45, went to another Home Depot workshop with Daddy, and had an impromptu play date at Grandma's when the gym we thought had an open gym did NOT, in fact, have open gym as advertised on their website - but it was still fun to play and have lunch with Landry, Marin, and Brayden!

Showing me the truck he and Daddy made at Home Depot

By far my most frustrating moment was when Banner decided to take off running out of the children's area, past the circulation desk, past the first set of automatic doors, through the second set of automatic doors, and outside to the front porch of the library where I finally caught the fast little booger before he jutted into the street. I'm telling you - this kid is a runner, and he's FAST and will take off in a heartbeat. I was looking at books to check out, he was standing next to me. All of a sudden he makes a run for it, and I didn't initially run after him because I thought he was heading for the toys and puzzles he usually enjoys playing with. Well, a little distance got between us before I realized he was not stopping. My 8-month pregnant, arthritic body tried to waddle after him as fast as I could, and with no one's help to stop him (thank you, public library staff), he was way faster than I could be. With unchecked-out books in my hands, I dropped everything at the entrance and sprinted to capture him. Sweating and annoyed, I clasped his hand tightly in mine, told him he is NEVER to leave my side, checked out our books, and calmly walked to our car - where we had a stern talking to! My boy is adventurous, daring, and completely unaware of boundaries! We are working on this... and working on it, and working on it, as he continues to just take off out of buildings, houses, and stores. This was definitely the farthest he's gotten from me, and the farther along in the pregnancy I get, the slower and less confident I get that I can catch him! Camp Mommy may start to include a LEASH for this kid!

Coming in the last three weeks of Camp Mommy: more pool time, more indoor fun, a sibling class at the hospital, more gym/music/art intro classes at local kid gyms, play dates, baking, and lots of prep for preschool!