Up to no good

OK I know this blog is for Zach, but I thought people might enjoy the pics of Zach's parents and God parents enjoying New Orleans over Memorial Day weekend. Luckily Zach's spiritual life was in good hands with his grandparents. We were all the car together and Alison's friend commented that they make the president and vice president fly separately and we really should have looked into that - as we cruised through the NO ghetto.

Godmother Alison
Godfather Chris

Accessory

Last Friday, Zach's daycare was closed so I took the day off to spend with my little man. We had a busy day of starting with a sweaty walk with Norman, attending a Mommy and me exercise class at the YMCA (which made Mommy sweat all over again) and then lunch with Daddy. After nap I got out pillows and made an obstacle course for Zach to walk and roll over. We had done it once before when he first started walking and he loved it.

The addition to the course this time was Zach's snappy peacock bangle that he insisted on wearing or carrying the entire time. I was feeling guilty about posting these pics (and I didn't even post the most embarrassing one where he is holding his hand up to his cheek) until I saw my friend Michele's son Ethan doing the same thing. And the peacock braclet really did complete his outfit.

Dance Dance Revolution

One of Zach's favorite toys is a riding toy truck from his buddy Wyatt. He has not really mastered the riding of it yet, but loves to push it around the house making car noises and getting stuck in doorways. Then he screams the high pitched scream of a banshee and I think he might be dying. Nope, just stuck in the doorway. At which point I try not to roll my eyes and instead use my best "mothering" voice to say "You can do it! I know you can!". Becuase he can. He really, really can steer the truck out of the doorway; I have seen it happen.

But I digress. His other favorite thing to do with his truck is push the button on the very front and play his favorite song. No words, just some tires squealing with a kicky beat. He then dances and pushes the button numerous times as the song is just that good. Both Alex and I can sing it for you upon request.

All Wet

In the atrium of our house is a fountain. A fountain that my dad has fixed twice, one that I really don't love but in which Zach loves to splash and play. The problem is that this time the fountain was really, really dirty. So he is covered in dirty water and Lord only knows what else and could not be happier. He threw a huge fit when I tried to take off his shirt, in fact.

It is getting so hot now it is a perfect place for him. The atrium is enclosed so I can leave him in there and see him from the other rooms. Yes, it is hot and I am not going out there. We do a lot of waving from the windows.

Aunt Vickie

My Aunt Vickie is the aunt everyone wishes they had. She is sweet, stylish and entirely too generous (which is actually like all my other aunts). And she loves to buy clothes for my son. As I was putting him into his plaid shorts and green shirt I realized I had not sent her a thank you note for that outfit...or possibly for past 5 outfits. Mom - don't freak out I WILL get to those Christmas thank yous too.

So I thought what better way to thank her than to show some of the outfits she has purchased to make my baby the snappiest dresser on the block. She (and her entire family to be fair) held out until Zach was born since we did not know if what we were having, but once he was out of my belly and on this earth she got busy. I swear I used the darling Polo onsies she sent as my "go to" 0-3 month outfits I had so many of them.

She brought over a super cute Save the Earth outfit. The shorts looked like camo but up close they were lizards. My Aunt Vickie knows what a tree hugger I am while driving my Hemi Dodge Durango. When we went to St. Louis for Thanksgiving I took the baby Uggs she got him and was so excited for him to wear them! However he was so perplexed by having something on his ankles that when you stood him up he would literally fall down like a tree. I did it a couple of times as I didn't understand what was going on and each time - boom! No bend in the legs, just a fall on his face (yes, yes I caught him).

But I digress. I just want to thank my Aunt Vickie for loving my child as much as we do. She and my Uncle Rick and cousins Stephanie and Matthew are always there for my family and I just love them all to bits! So thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

That Face

Zachary is not the easiest to get a photo of these days, as I think I have mentioned before. He is entirely too busy collecting balls and sticks, singing and generally running away from me. In response I have really stepped up my paparazzi tactics and go crazy when I think the lighting is OK and he might smile for me.

After about 42 pictures I finally got one that shows my sweet baby boy. I just adore that face and kiss it a ridiculous amount of times. Once he can say a sentence it really might be "Dude, can your mom be in a 1 foot radius of you and NOT kiss you, because mine is driving me crazy". He will of course know what "radius" means too.

Word of the Week

Zach has been talking up a storm these past few weeks. He trying to mimic everything we say, including "Alex" when I was yelling for his father to come into the room and help me this morning. But "up" is the word he is overusing now...for everything from getting into chairs, out of his car seat and for me to pick him up. Well, technically he still uses "Mommmmeeeeeee" in a very loud voice for that most of the time.
Here he is wandering around our back porch using his favorite word and others while shirtless, naturally. I just love that giant belly. He is like one of those skinny pregnant women; from the back you don't notice it, then he turns around and WOW! That belly is huge!
Oh and yes, Norman runs the entire time we are in the backyard. I don't know why and don't even notice it anymore. I think he is just so excited we are out there he can't contain himself!!

Missing Age

I feel like I am in the black hole of information right now. I rely on books to tell me what to do - how to feed, discipline and play with my child. Yet, there is nothing written about ages 12 to 24 month. Oh, there are books and books chronicling each week from birth to age one; then many articles talking about the terrible twos, but nothing about this time right now. Ummm hello, Spock, I have a 16 month old who only wants to eat cheese and lift his shirt to pat his belly; any suggestions?

On one hand this is an awesome age. He is still a baby in so many ways, like how he curls up on me when he is tired and the sweet new words that come out each day. BUT with one turn he morphs into a toddler who screams and cries when I put him down to get him more cheese and throws his food on the ground because he is sooo hungry and soooo mad that he is made to sit in his highchair. I am constantly in a state of adoration followed closely by exasperation.

Fat lot of good it did me

I would like to enter this video into evidence towards my lack of disciplining my child. Laughing is not the way to go, Kinsey. Though in my favor, I do pick and choose when to put my foot down - OK, that sentence was not making me sound any better. I don't let him touch hot things, stick his finger into light sockets or the dogs eyes. General safety issues I am pretty good with...but right now it is just much easier to give in when he is screaming because he wants to hold the hairbrush and I just need to get ready for work. I am sure this will be circling back to bite me and soon.