Our past weekend was super laid back. Nothing too fancy. Nothing too spectacular. In truth, it was a slower weekend…full of pauses, sleeping in and doing nothing but chasing after our 1-year-old (who has taken a special liking for hitting people).
On friday, I made dinner. I know. Pick up your jaw off the floor and continue reading mom.
I made fish (the recipe wasn’t fantastic although it did look good for the photos)…and rice.
I even set the table for Independence weekend. I know. Go me twice in one night! When do they hand out the trophies for awesomeness?!
Lately we have been trying to eat a little healthier. And when I say “we” I obviously mean “Jeremy” and when I say “healthier” I obviously mean “less ice cream and more meats”. Long story short…it is not safe to be a can of tuna in our house.
I hung up the pennant flags – leftover from the old teacher baby shower & Will’s birthday party.
I also made this wreath. I saw one like it on Pinterest and decided to copy. Mine however is held together with straight pins so that if I get sick of it, I can take it apart without ruining my little fabric flowers.
Friday night we went to a local town called Monroe to see a band. The town hosts a First Friday concert each month and we are loving it…mostly because Friday nights have lost all meaning. I am still waiting for TGIF to come back.
When we walked up, I totally hugged Jeremy’s back. It was so quintessential and quaint. The band was set up on the stage in front of the courthouse….10 year old boys were playing touch football in the street….teenagers were huddled together with their giggles and their ice cream cones….I swear a little girl ran by me waving a mini flag and said “GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
I don’t remember the name of the band…but I do remember that they were ‘all the waaay from Ne-ah York City’. That’s exactly what the little announcer said with her country twang.
We found a bit of grass and set up camp.
Will didn’t like my fish….I found that out when I spooned a bit into his mouth. Miliseconds later drooly fish bits were running down my shirt as Will clawed at his tongue. Subtle kid, that Will.
My parents both came to meet us too. Mom has this way of getting Will to eat. I don’t know how…but she does it.
Will on a mission. My guess? Ice cream. Or he sees someone hit-worthy.
Jeremy broke his diet rules and indulged in one of these…and I don’t normally like Root Beer (when I drink it, I imitate Will eating tilapia)…but this was actually pretty swallowable…I think the cold bottle made a difference.
On Saturday, we had a little playdate with Ethan at Chickfila…
A little girl came to us and told us that he was ‘spreading germs’. Jules (his mom and a health teacher) ran in to see what was going on. Drool. Very germy drool.
Will has started hitting other kids too. I don’t think he realizes that Ethan could take him out. Once Ethan realizes that…Will is going to probably need body armor.
Later that day, we were waiting to meet my folks for dinner – so we stopped in the bookstore to waste a few minutes.
Quite literally – Will is not interested in ANY books. In fact, he got more joy out of my lens cap than when I tried to show him a book that LIGHTS UP AND MAKES NOISE. It was like a television…in a hardback…and he was like “MOoommm….do you honestly think that will entertain me because you aren’t even letting me throw it at you?!”
On Sunday after church and the following picnic (where Will refused to eat and he just wanted to throw things)…my parents had a cookout.
God bless my mom. There were going to be 8 people. And we talked her into making only HALF the hotdogs. Because surely the sun would stop burning if we ran out of dogs.
On the non-sarcastic side of things…I do appreciate her not running out of food. Because, well, I like to eat. A lot.
We also had the priviledge of meeting a new family – here’s their little guy Dreise. He’s pretty much awesome. And I asked him if he would like to babysit Will. Since he’s got at least a year on our Spike, he’s pretty much qualified. Dreise ran away…so I am taking that answer as he’s thinking about it.
Will in his new Fourth of July shirt.
Sideburnless.
That night we decided to give him a bath before bed…just look at those red-lined eyes! And he’s not even high!
New development – he figured out how to climb out of the deep soaking tub. I knew it was coming. I was dreading it. But now, I figure he can pick up all the toys he throws out of the tub while I can blog.
On MONDAY….longest post ever….
we went to Jules house to swim…and eat…and watch fireworks.
This was actually Jeremy’s first time swimming with Will since our Florida vacation…and Will loved having him there.
Did you see that face?!
I think it is because Jeremy doesn’t let him go under. I totally do. I figure he spent 9 months in a sack of water…this whole swimming thing should be second nature.
I think my darling boyfriend had just as much fun as Will.
And about half way through is when Will started.
Started what? you may ask.
Started being Will.
And that is why I have only this one photo to prove that food was actually served.
The rest of the time we were chasing around the Tinkler….removing his fingers from people’s eye sockets and trying desperately to get him to eat something.
After six or so hours of that came the fireworks.
We didn’t do any sparkler spelling…but we did get this one photo.
Note to self – uplighting on my face = mugshot photo.
Will loved the fireworks…and would stare and stare.
And the big ones? the ones that have the giant booms? Well, apparently they are like soothing to Will…
because he fell asleep.
That’s Jer holding Will…under an umbrella…because it was RAINING….while we watched the fireworks. (don’t be deceived by the lighting – it was pitch black out!)
In the end, I didn’t get to run around getting cute photos of Will waving flags and eating hotdogs or even playing with old friends. But that’s life, right? Sometimes holidays are hard…sometimes your baby sends projectile fish chunks down your shirt…sometimes they don’t eat, don’t listen and don’t stay awake to enjoy the thing you kept them up WAY past their bedtime for…
and that is life. and that is okay.
And that is what freedom is all about. You never know what you are gonna get…but having the choice to enjoy it is part of the joy of freedom. I for one am very VERY thankful for that. And thankful that there is next year. BECAUSE DANG if I am not gonna do it up next year…
Oh my gosh! My husband is from Monroe, and we go back often to visit his family! Love that you went to the Friday night concert! Such a quintessential small Southern town!
What a picture perfect 4th! Your family is so cute and Will is getting so big!
p.s. love the wreath and flags!
Nothing beats a laid back, family focused, food filled, spikey hair day. Boom shaka-la-ka!
The best advice I ever got when I was pregnant was when I was told to read Ellyn Satter’s book ‘Child of mine’. It’s the advice the professionals give now. Basically your job is to provide the food at appropriate times, it’s their job to decide wether and how much and what they will eat. A neurotypical child with no health or developmental issues is always far more interested in playing mind games with mom and dad than in eating, so although right now he’s a perfectly normal one year old who is growing at nowhere near the rate he was last year and has a normal appetite, you can very easily and quickly turn him into a picky eater who will only eat if he’s chased around, and even then it must be the right brand of chicken nuggets.
What you do is this. Every couple of hours, six or seven times a day, you offer him some food, featuring at least one thing that you know he enjoys (our dinner table always has bread or carrots on it), in a meal setting, so in a highh chair or at the table. Then you let him eat if he needs to. Often he won’t. It’s Ok if he doesn’t, it will only be another hour or two until the next meal time. But the thing is that you don’t cajole and beg and bargain and bribe with treats or whatever, and you don’t force them to put things in their mouth ( except with little babies who sometimes need that dab on the lip to stop crying when they’re really hungry ) They can have more of anything they finish. It’s not your body to know if he’s hungry or not, and you know that in front of him is something that he has eaten before and enjoyed. You also make sure you offer stuff they somewhat tolerate and stuff they don’t like, for them to be familiae with it, and learn to touch it, then experiemnt with it and eventually eat it. My kids always get half a stalk of asparagus each, for example. They’re older so they are not
allowed to be rude or complain about it, they just out it to the side, but Will will probably just throw it to the ground. You just ignore that.
It’s a great book, you should read it because she explains much more fully than I can here. Google ‘division of responsiblity in feeding’ to read more.
Looks like a fun, but busy weekend. I just wanted to chime in about the Friday night thing. For the first couple years of staying home I always got what I called “the Friday night blues”. When I was a working gal Fridays had a different feeling, an excitement. After staying home it feels JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY! I had to start meeting Moms in my ‘hood and create a Friday night happy hour at the park to break my Friday night blues. I also started Friday Night Party Night with the kids and hubby–more relaxed parenting, a movie and popcorn in the living room. Anything to make it feel a little different. You would be surprised how much the kids love having their parents watch a movie with them and being a loud to eat in the living room.
Katie, you are too funny! Are you on pinterest??
What a fun weekend! The decorations look great, and the food amazing!
Looked like a lot of fun! At least Will saw some fireworks, our baby was fast asleep in bed, I figure next year will be better. = )
I have been stalking your blog for awhile, but had to finally comment. My son is about 2 weeks older than will (in fact if I remember correctly you were due like a day before me…told you, stalked) and we are having the exact same hitting, not eating, and general mischief making issues. It always makes me feel better to hear someone elses child is doing the same stuff…like maybe we haven’t messed him up yet:).
Awww… no matter whether you feel like they are or not, I think your photos are great and show that you had quite the busy weekend! My favorite is the one of Will standing beside the pool. He looks like such a little man!!
I love these photo posts! All of the food looks delicious and it looks like you all had a great holiday weekend. Isn’t it funny that even with a long weekend, the holidays seem to take so much out of you? Maybe that’s just me…
The hitting and throwing must be a boy thing. My oldest son did it and now my 19 month old does it! I thought maybe I wasn’t doing something right bc their girl cousins didn’t do it but boys must be more physical. Mine climb and jump and can be wild and the the girl cousins not so much. Nothing gets on my nerves more than my son throwing his zippy cup from his highchair. Ughhhh!
Oh my gosh Katie, I’m drooling over the food at that barbeque. The veggie skewers, the tomato, mozzarella, and basil – YUMM!
I think the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays now. It’s just that awesome and my kids loved it too. I also made tomato mozzarella and basil last weekend because it just tastes so good, I cannot stop myself! As for Will eating, my kids definitely go in phases of eating and not eating. As long as they aren’t losing weight, I try not to worry. As soon as you stop asking/chasing him to eat, he probably will eat (unless he has an ear infection…). (and I hate root beer too!)
I just LOOOOVE this post. Will is toooo stinkin’ cute, and it’s refreshing to read about a totally normal weekend. You have such a great attitude about things and it looks like you had a great time, despite an upset little boy at times. Too bad it rained for those fireworks….bummer 🙂
Wow! Thank you for posting the details. My 1 year old has also become a hunger strike artist and kicks everything in sight. It’s good to hear I’m not the only one. 🙂
Katie, your mugshot family photo? You look like a floating head with Jeremy and Will! I laughed!
I am but I rarely pin. I just go on there to get inspiration 🙂
xo – kb
Looks like you had a great weekend! I love the picture of your boyfriend and Will with the sparkler…too cute!
Love this post! Glad to hear another baby doesn’t love books either… My little girl just doesn’t enjoy being read to (yet). We read her a Bible story every night before bed and she tolerates that – but she only sits for it because it is our hard core routine. We’ve done it since she was 10 months old (she’s 15 months now) and she often doesn’t like sitting for even that (but we make her anyway 🙂 )!
Here’s to hoping that one day our babies will like books! 🙂
PS… on that same note, Will holding the lens cap is hilarious!
My two-year-old does the same thing when he doesn’t like the food he’s put in his mouth–He spits it out and then takes his hand and shovels any remaining gibblets out. Of course, he has eaten poop, peanut shells, and an apple core (we are pretty sure he ate an apple core. At least, we can’t find it. Of course, like Will he had a penchant for throwing things, so it may be in a corner rotting somewhere.) But give him something normal like raspberries or cheese?? Well that stuff is coming out of his mouth NOW! And last year when Logan was 1, he didn’t take a nap on the 4th, was totally miserable, so I had him in bed by 6. His sister, Mimi, and my Brad went to Stone Mountain to see the fireworks without us (actually they went first to the Snellville fireworks, realized they had the wrong day, and then drove out to Stone Mountain right before the fireworks went off. Just in time to have a LONG walk and get stuck in HORRENDOUS traffic). So, yeh, sometimes holidays aren’t perfect, and sometimes kiddos have weird, annoying habits. But life is good, God’s in control, and in the end, your kiddos are in bed asleep and you’re wishing them awake because you miss them so much (even though they were totally annoying all day long). 🙂
I think it is because Jeremy doesn’t let him go under. I totally do. I figure he spent 9 months in a sack of water…this whole swimming thing should be second nature.
….
HILARIOUS!!
Oh KB…laughed through the whole post. Love the cloth wreath. The flowers are so adorable and country looking. My 4 month old refused to smile for any 4th of July pictures. I guess shes not sure yet how she feels about Americas birthday…. Thank you for keeping it real as always. Kids hit…and poke peoples eyes. I have too many friends in real life that keep trying to pretend their kids DONT. 🙂
Uplighting on your face… sorry. That’s what happens when you give Jules the camera!
Loved spending the fourth with you guys even if it was in the rain!
P.S. you make a mean veggie kabob! ; )
Looks like you had a blast! I love how Will & Jeremy’s faces are identical in the pool photos!
I about choked when I read “sometimes your baby sends projectile fish chunks down your shirt… ”
Seriously, some of us are trying to read this on the DL while at work… and you are totally blowing our cover!
The last firework picture is amazing! So glad you all had a great time…besides the throwing and eye gouging!
Love that wreath. It’d be fun to make one for our front door. Are the flowers just strips of fabric rolled and pinned?
I rolled the fabric and then glued each fabric’s back with hot glue…then I pinned each individually to the wreath 🙂
xo – kb
Haha! I never noticed that…I look that that Cat on Alice in Wonderland – totally creepy 🙂
xo – kb
Just thought I would mention that I think its pretty common for teething kids to not want to eat much so try not to worry. My daughter was the same way and after the teething stopped it improved dramatically. Once there was visible signs of a tooth breaking thru I was always trying to alternate motrin w/ tylenol every 3 hours and that seemed to help some, especially at night. Just keep offering a variety of foods, especially cold or soft ones like greek yogurt (higher in fat and protein which is good when every bite counts) and he’ll get what he needs. It is frustrating I know as I remember being in your shoes not long ago.
Thank you for being a real parent and being honest about it. We had a rough day with our 18 month old, but that is balanced with so many other days. Cheers to you and your public honestly about the trails and tribulations of being a momma!
Katie,
I love the fabric wreath, I might try to make those flowers to wear on a blouse or jazz up a pillow. Great idea not making them permanent to the wreath.
your little guy sounds like how my little guy was. he is almost 4 and i am hoping the ‘tumultuous’ three’s turn into the ‘fantastic’ four’s!! we shall see.
Oh, and my son wasnt interested in books until just recently. Now he loves them and will sit still for them and hands me more. This happened around 18 months and he is 19 months now. It’s so cute when they go get them and give them to you to read and sit in your lap and wait. I just have to squeeze my little guy for being so cute. However, the throwing continues.
Saw this and thought of your new bathroom horse theme — $10! Didn’t want it to get lost in the give away comments, so I’m putting it here instead
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/atq/2483480968.html
Just have to tell you–you are hilarious. You make me laugh out loud at least once in every post (and I am not one to laugh out loud unless something is absolutely hilarious–which you are). I love your blog–so honest, so informative, and so entertaining. Thanks for giving me a much-needed boost at the end of a long day!
I’ve been looking for some prints of fireworks for quite some time now. I think they’d be a sweet addition to our bedroom 😉 So I don’t know if you got many great shots of them but if you turn them into prints to buy I am on board! Thanks
i enjoyed all of your patriotic celebration (and think that Will was adorable in the plaid)…and your patriotic crafts…
but MOSTLY, i enjoyed…MISSING TGIF! Seriously, where IS it?! do they even MAKE shows that good anymore? do they not know that we’d ALL tune back in if they showed the re-runs?! and also, why…WHY…were the Full House & Family Matters theme songs SO similar. every time my husband starts singing one (yes, this has happened), i end up singing the other one. and it is annoying/ends in hilarity.
I like this. I’m really enjoying reading your young Will stories. Life with my baby boy (who is only a few months younger than Will) more closely mirror this than the Clara stories I always read on YHL. Maybe just the gender diff? Anyway, reassuring!