Not the same baby; Not the same mommy

Bun is most definitely a different baby from his big brother. Granted, he is wearing all the same baby clothes and using all the same baby gear. There are those weird Twilight Zone moments where it feels like the exact same baby all over again. But for the most part, it is obvious that each child has his own personality and preferences.

I have changed as a mommy too. There are some things that I am more of a stickler about this time around (like when to start solids); while on other issues I am very lax (letting him -gasp!- sleep on his tummy). It took me six months to learn that not everything I did for  Bean will work for Bun. I just instinctively went to my ingrained way of doing things and sometimes Bun is simply not having it. So although I am more confident this time around in my mommying skills, my infant makes sure that I don't get too smug. He keeps me on my toes and makes it known that he is his own person who wants things his own way. Hand-me-downs, notwithstanding.

Swapping Germs

Bean picked up a runny nose over the weekend. Just a runny nose and the occasional sneeze. I am not surprised that this happened. Those indoor play gyms are probably a haven for germs. All those kids running around, touching on everything. You can imagine the rest. So the fact that he has the sniffles is pretty much to be expected. However, I really did not want him to pass this along to his baby brother as well. The way they love on each other and play together though, my best guess was that it would be a hopeless crusade trying to prevent it. Bean always wants to kiss Bun. Bean always grabs Bun's toys. Bean is just always around and Bun loves it. Trying to keep them apart incites many tears and is fruitless in the end.

This morning, Bun woke up with a runny nose. He sneezes whenever he eats his bananas. Great.

Gooey Goodness

I have been craving s'mores. I can practically taste them and it has been years since I had it, bona fide. It reminds me of sitting at my grandmother's kitchen table as a child. Warm light coming from overhead, sitting comfortably with my aunts. We never went camping, but we would roast marshmallows on grandma's gas stove. For a special treat, we got to make s'mores. I'm not really sure what has triggered the longing in me now, some 20+ years later. It has been about that long too, since I made myself this treat.... all at once chocolaty, gooey, and crunchy. I had the Hershey's bars in my cart today and put them back. I shouldn't have.

Well-Baby Checks

The boys had their checkups yesterday. Bean is doing very well and is certainly my healthy little boy. The only thing that he is not doing according to the charts is using the pronouns 'he', 'she', or saying 'mine'. Other than that, there was nothing else pointed out to us for concern. Bun, on the other hand, is still a mess. Poor baby is suffering big time from his eczema still. The Rx from the dermatologist just quit working so now we have something else to try. The best of all is that now we have something to give him for the itching. Also, his weight gain has slowed down pretty drastically but now that we are full force on the solids it may improve. The doctor didn't seem to be too worried, and as a second-time mommy I know better than to worry either. He is meeting all his other developmental milestones so I really feel that his small size is just hereditary. Like his brother. Bun used to be a chubster - it was bound to level off eventually. I guess they will both be my little skinny boys after all.

Happy Birthday to Bean!!

The birthday weekend is over. We have been going nonstop celebrating  Bean's 2nd birthday. I am exhausted and there is tension between my shoulder blades - but I feel happy and content because my son had a blast. On Friday I took him to Chuck E Cheese where he filled up on pizza and punch and games until way past his bedtime. And then today was his true birthday.  He got a phone call from Daddy this morning, which was a great start to his special day. Things could not have gone better. His cake turned out beautifully and melted in your mouth. The photographer arrived on time and got some great shots. Everyone I invited actually showed up. Most importantly, Bean had a wonderful time. He enjoyed the place we went to for his party and he ran from one activity to the next, never slowing down. Back at the house he had so many gifts to open that he almost had to leave some for tomorrow. He seemed to know that today was special and that it was all for him. We still are not finished doing things related to him turning 2, but they are starting to finally slow down. Now if only I can get over the fact that my firstborn just had his second birthday. Walking around in disbelief doesn't change anything at all. I am bone tired; I can barely keep my eyes open long enough to finish this post. The bed is calling me; tonight I should surely sleep better than a baby.

Much To Do

I can't believe the week is half over already. Time flies anyway, but when you are looking forward to a special event the time goes even quicker. Bean's party is on Saturday. All I can say is that I am so glad to be having it at one of those 'open play' facilities. They are taking care of "everything" and somehow I still have loads to do! I was also thinking of getting Bun a small gift as well so that he does not feel left out. Do other mommies out there buy a token gift for the non-birthday child so that s/he does not feel slighted? I can see myself doing that until they are about 4 or 5 - the age of understanding. ;-)

Shrinking Violet

The boys had a birthday party this weekend. For me, it was one of those things where I could not wait until it was time to go home. The party was outside, for one thing. Not comfortable for me at all. Nor Bun -- the extreme heat makes his eczema flare up. And then there was Bean... donned in his swim trunks and bare feet; hanging on my leg for the first hour of the party. He would not go explore the slip'n'slide or the inflatable that was outside for the children to play with. If I tried to pry his fingers from my pants and nudge him towards where the other kids were,  he would stiffen his entire body and bury his head in the back of my knee. Which made me even hotter. Bean made sure that I was no farther than one arm's length from him. I ended up wearing his barbecue sauce, his cake icing, and his punch on my pants.

After a while, he warmed up and went to go play (almost reluctantly). I wonder if my boy will always be this shy. Perhaps when his brother is old enough to play too, they will give each other a boost in confidence. I don't like thinking of my son as a shrinking violet. It just seems worse for boys to be that way. Don't shoot me for being sexist.

They did not cut the cake at this party until 4 hours after it started. Four hours!! It was after 8pm by the time we left. Normally I am not a stickler about things like this. But when you want to leave somewhere as soon as you arrive, four hours seems like quite a long time. Perhaps I would have been alright if it at least seemed that Bean was enjoying himself. As to that, I am not so sure.

Somebody

Somebody is about to be 2. Somebody's mommy is planning a birthday party: double-checking reservations and ordering jungle-themed birthday cakes. Somebody already says a loud and excited "TWO!" when asked how old he is. In addition to his own, somebody has three other birthday parties to attend in July. Somebody already has everything he needs and wants, so it leaves his mommy struggling on what to get him as birthday presents. Somebody has been on this earth for nearly two years, a fact that is hard to believe. Somebody might also get to go a kiddie amusement park if things fall in place. Somebody has no idea all the fun that is in store, but he will soon enough.

Only about one week to go....

The Kiss of Mainstream Death

Perhaps it is just me, but it seems that people are not writing - or reading - blogs the way they used to. Blogging was all the rage a couple of years ago. Today however, anybody (and I do mean anybody) can have their little corner of the web. For free. It's almost like there are so many to sort through that people just give up. Rather than have 1,436 blogs to read daily.... they read 0. Or 1. Rather than update their own blog daily, they do it weekly. Or whenever the mood hits. Is it a dying art form, or has it proliferated the web to the point of saturation? Regardless of that, is the end result the same? Lackluster interest? I wonder.

My Melting Heart

Today I had to wake Bean up from his nap because we had somewhere to go. I lifted him out of his crib and hugged him. He put his head on my shoulder. I said to him, "I have to wake you up and get you dressed now because we are going somewhere special, ok?" And much to my surprise, he replied "OK." Perfectly, and in a voice so sugary sweet and husky with sleep that my heart literally melted. I felt it happening. My precious boy.