Hunger strike

Today marked day 4 of little c's hunger strike. He's definitely got a virus as his sleep and eating patterns, which are normally spectacular, are out of whack. His "teacher" told big c that he ate only applesauce today and fell asleep on the floor. You know he's sick when he falls asleep on the floor, eh? 

I'm not too concerned. I had a boss always say that a child will not starve themselves and so I haven't tried to force him to eat. Big c has a different philosophy all together. He tries every tactic you can think of to try and entice little c to eat. We've also thrown out far too much food because he pulls everything out of the fridge, freezer and cupboard in his attempts at getting little c to end the strike. Most of it ends up on the floor after little c pulls it out of his mouth. I sit back and watch from the other side of the picket line, knowing this too shall pass. There's no negotiating with an almost 1 year old.

So, we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Tonight we celebrated Christmas with our best friends. Chicken pot pie and chocolate cake were on the menu. And a whole lot of laughter, crying (by the kids, mostly little c), and a surprisingly good group photo (surprising because the kids usually don't cooperate). We only have one more month together as B&S are off to Australia for 7 months. But it's better than being away for a year, like they were last year. I guess that's how it is when you're in the witness protection program.

Alright, I hope you have a glorious weekend. If you're in Southwestern Ontario, stay off the 401 east of London. If you're in Salt Lake, feel free to drop in for some imaginary Christmas cookies and non-existent mulled cider. 

 
 Reading a book with Aunt T.

 
Goofy Aunt S. Little c is going to miss her. (But not as much as Mommy & Daddy will)

 
Merry Christmas from the Widmer-Ross-Hancock Family! 

 

Sick Day: Take Two

Well, since little c woke up again with a fever/bad hair, we've decided to finally take him in to see Dr. Rachel. It's probably just a virus but since he's grabbing his ear, we thought we'd have her check for an ear infection.

I get to hang out with the little bear all day today. He fell asleep watching Sesame Street this morning and has been asleep in his crib ever since, coming up on 3.5 hours. I've been trying to maximize my time by doing laundry, putting things away, making lists, finishing a Christmas project, and stressing over his birthday party plans again. Afternoon plans include a trip to the drycleaners, the doctors, the grocery store and the bank. Good times. I feel like a stay-at-home mom! I even broke out my mom jeans for the occasion!

We hope you have a great day. Enjoy some photos of the sick bear wearing his jeggings (google it). They were a rush purchase at H&M. I had no idea they were jeggings until I tried to get them on his ridiculously fat legs. Had to butter up his thighs to get them up all the way.

 
 
Giving me his best "I'm so sick I'm about to die" look. Takes after his dad on this one.

Bad hair day

Little c stayed home from "school" today. Daddy says it's because he has a fever of 101. Mommy says it's because he woke up with REALLY bad hair and she couldn't fix it and couldn't send him out in public with it.

He is now helping me blog, fzdxzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Good job Cohen.

The exciting news is that he actually cuddled up with me for 13 minutes this afternoon and watched Ellen with me. Best. Day. Ever! I've been waiting for him to cuddle with me for almost 12 months.

And that's it for now. The crustless quiche is done and a salad needs to be made before big c gets home from work.

 

Living inside a pressure cooker

Okay, life isn't that stressful right now, but I am feeling a lot of pressure. Pressure you ask? Yes, pressure to have a fabulous first birthday party for little c. As a former event planner and lover of themed parties, I feel as if I need to kick things up a notch and throw little c the best dang party that anyone has ever attended. And for the record, no one is putting the pressure on me except for me.

I have started losing sleep over it. Really and truly. I tell myself that if I was a really good Mom, I'd have had the theme already picked out and planned for 6 months ago. Party hats would already be made, a Happy Birthday Cohen bunting would have been sewn, invitations already received, first birthday shirt made, my sister finalizing the cake plans, and the dessert buffet all set to go. But here we are 3 weeks away from the big event and I've got nothing. Nothing at all. No theme to start the wheels in motion. Not even a poem for the invite.

Can I tell you how hard it is to plan a first birthday party at the same time as trying to pull Christmas together? It's not easy. I'm sure some of you reading this know from experience.

I do have hope that I will come to my senses and realize that the first birthday is about celebrating that little life that you hoped for for so long. It will be great even if there is a cake purchased from Costco and little c shows up wearing nothing but a diaper and a paper hat purchased from the dollar store because we will be with family and friends and we will be rejoicing the mere existence of Cohen Gray Hancock.

And so while I feel like I'll be in the pressure cooker for a little while longer, I think I'm going to pop the lid open, take a deep breath and enjoy these photos of my little almost-one-year-old in a few of his cool hats.
 
 

The life of a working mom

Busy. Busy. Busy. Too busy to sit down at the end of the night and bore you with the minutae of my life.

So in the meantime, please click on this link to see an amazing Christmas card video. Brilliant.

Enjoy! Will post soon! Must tell you about all of little c's toofs.

http://melancholysmile.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-video-2010.html

Bed head

 
 
This is how little c looked when he woke up yesterday a.m. I didn't try to fix it or anything for the photo. If only my hair looked so cool.

Dear Cohen

Wow little buddy! What a big month you've had. Daddy just said to me that it seems like you are learning something new every single day. I think he's right.

I don't even know where to begin.

I think the biggest change is you're crawling now. Well, you crawled for a week or 2 but now you like to cruise around the house holding onto furniture, walls, door jams, garbage cans, toilet (which you like to flush) and Mommy & Daddy. Anything is fair game, as long as it will help you get from point A to point B without crawling. Sure, you'll crawl when you absolutely have to, but only as a last resort. Your teachers at school said you won't stay still or sit and play with anything--you must be on the move at all times. That's the Pat I remember going crazy in my belly one year ago.

You also like to clap. I think because it causes Mommy & Daddy to go berserk when you do, so you keep doing it to get our reaction. Cause and effect buddy, good job for being perceptive.

One of my favourite things you do is shake your head no. You keep going and going and I can't believe you don't make yourself sick. Up until yesterday, you could only shake your head from side to side. Today is another story. This morning you nodded for the first time and showed off again tonight.

Another first is waving. That's a new thing in the last day or two. Toni at your school said she's been working with you on this and it's really paying off. You're a waving fool! Now you can wave at Lucy, and Nathaniel, William and all the other kids in your class.

You like to repeat lots of words, but you've really nailed the siren noise that I make when we play cars. I need to capture it on video as I think it's pretty cute.

You still like to wake up at o dark thirty and I'm hopeful that you'll shake that nasty habit soon. Mama needs her beauty sleep.

You still amaze us with your voracious appetite. You're currently off hummus and cheese but you love broccoli, green beans, bread, any kind of fruit, turkey meatloaf, eggs, waffles, yogurt, and baked yams. You pulled the salmon out of your mouth--guess we'll have to keep trying with that one. I bet your teacher has never seen a baby show up with meatloaf, mashed potatoes and broccoli for lunch before. Leave it to Cohen.

This morning you brushed my hair for the first time. I've only shown you a couple times how to brush your hair and mine and you decided today would be the day for grooming. I think I need to show you how to scratch my back now.

You're becoming quite the dancer, little man. Every day when we get home from school, you hang out in your crib and hang onto the rails and dance your rump off while your best friends get tossed around the room to songs by the Barenaked Ladies, the B-52s or Keane. Oh how you laugh when I spin you around the room or do the two step with you. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I hope you didn't inherit my dancing genes. Life will not be easy for you if you did.

You're enjoying your books more and more. While you've always enjoyed sitting on our laps and looking at the pictures and turning the page for us when we ask you too, you're becoming more of an active participant now. You love to kiss the Mommy Fish in your "Hooray for fish" book and you look for Little Fish and touch him now on almost all of the pages. I still cannot get you to sit through "Goodnight Moon" but I'm not going to lose sleep over that.

And you are now in your big boy car seat since we couldn't stuff you into your baby carrier anymore. You do not like being placed in the seat too much but once you get settled, I think you're pretty comfortable.

Oh Cohen, you are an absolute joy and life would be so dull without you. I never imagined that you'd make so many leaps and bounds over the last few weeks and I can't even begin to imagine what you'll be doing one month from now when you're 1!

Keep up the strong work my love.

Love,

Your biggest fan, Mommy

xoxo

Actually sitting still for once.
All bundled up for our Thanksgiving Day walk.
Oh how you love hanging out with Eric. He's a lot of fun. Oh, and technically, last week was your second Thanksgiving, just so you know. We can't forget about Canadian Thanksgiving in October.
I couldn't resist taking a shot of your cute butt.
An ordinary day in the life of a fashionable young chap.