Happy Birthday Tyler!

We can't believe Tyler is already one year old! Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes. We didn't do any big celebrating today since it's the middle of the week and Tyler is clueless as to what a birthday even is, but we plan to celebrate this weekend. Tyler marked his birthday by spraying a healthy stream of urine onto the bathroom floor prior to his bath this evening. I don't know what cracked me up more- the big smile on Tyler's face or the grossed-out look on Michael's face as he tried to contain the extent of the spray.

My Baby is Growing Up!

We took the infant car seat out of the SUV this weekend and installed a convertible car seat. The infant seat was rated up to 30 lb and 30" in height. Tyler was getting too tall for it and it was difficult to get Tyler in and out of the seat. Although legally Tyler can sit forward facing after Wednesday (1 year old and 22 lb) we will probably leave him rear facing for a while since the latest recommendations are to keep babies rear facing until 2 years old. Tyler doesn't know any different and seems to like his new seat, which is almost like a baby la-z-boy for the car!

Playing at the Park

We have been having unseasonable weather (sunny and daytime temps in the high 50s) and we are loving it! My friend Teresa and I took our kids to the park yesterday and Michael and I made a trip to the park with Tyler today. Tyler loves getting out and about in the stroller, playing on the play structures, and watching all the big kids at play.

Tyler and Viola on the swings

Tyler LOVES Jack! Both Tyler and Viola enjoyed having Jack push them on the swings.

Pants are Optional

Yesterday Tyler figured out how to take his pants off. He was quite excited about this discovery!

Furniture Walking

Within the last week Tyler has really gotten the hang of furniture walking. He particularly loves pulling up to the coffee table and walking around it. Naturally he likes the furniture with the hard edge better than the nearby sofa! And of course to capture the furniture walking on video I had to resort to using the remote control as bait. We have been letting Tyler play with an old remote control and he loves to carry that thing around with him in the living room.

Gee...

It's much more fun to stand on this side of the crib!

Medical Mysteries

Tyler has had a few medical mysteries this week. Tuesday was his last day of antibiotics for his ear infection (babies usually have a 10-day course of antibiotics!). Tuesday morning Tyler vomited at daycare. Michael picked him up and spent the day with him. While Tyler was sluggish and napped more than usual he was his usual perky self by Wednesday morning. Then yesterday Tyler broke out on his chest, arms, and face in what appeared to be hives. By the time I had set up a doctor's appointment and Michael arrived at daycare to pick Tyler up the rash had disappeared! From talking to a nurse from our HMO, it's very possible Tyler had a late allergic reaction to his antibiotics or it could have been something else entirely.

Valentine's Day Celebration

We celebrated Valentine's Day by going out to eat for brunch. Tyler does pretty well in restaurants and loves to kick his dangling legs.

Tyler was fascinated by all the umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, but not enough to stop drinking his bottle while staring.

Tyler's current favorite consonant to repeat while babbling is "ma" as you can hear in the video clip. While he does not yet call me "Mama" or "Mommy" yet it feels as if he is constantly trying to get my attention with the "ma" babbling. Occasionally he babbles with "da", which of course Michael likes.

My Good Little Shopper

Here is Tyler on a Costco run with Daddy and me. In general Tyler is a pretty good shopping companion. He loves riding in the cart, checking out all the people (especially other babies and little kids), and looking at all the aisles of products (and trying to grab them). Yesterday I had Tyler in his stroller with me in a dressing room and I gave him a shirt to play with while I was trying on some clothes. Before I knew it he had eaten half of one of the price tags. That kid loves gnawing on paper!

Happy Valentine's Day

But I Don't Want to Take a Nap!

Tyler pulled up in the crib (even while wearing his sleep sack) to investigate his escape options.

"I guess Mommy is just going to stand in the doorway and take photos and isn't going to pick me up!" Minutes later Tyler was fast asleep and took a much needed hour-long nap. I wish I was mandated to take naps on work days! Babies just don't realize how good they have it.

Pillow Forts

Michael has been building pillow forts and Tyler has a ball knocking them down, jumping on them, and using the pillows to play peek-a-boo.

Pulling Up

I finally captured a video of Tyler pulling up to his feet. I should have kept filming for longer because he actually took a small step in order to get within reach of the remote on the coffee table!

The Sippy Cup vs. Gravity

Gravity always wins! We were quite amused to learn that yesterday at daycare Tyler and his buddy Cameron had a grand old time babbling to one another and repeatedly dropping their sippy cups from their high chairs during meal/snack times. At least now we know that he doesn't just do this at home. We have instituted a ban on any more water from the sippy after Tyler has tossed the cup overboard once or twice.

Ready for a Close-Up

Since Friday Tyler has routinely been pulling up to a standing position, which he finds quite exciting. This also allows Tyler to get into more things around the house! Of course when I tried to capture this on video he didn't do it and was more interested in crawling to the camera. Tyler was quite upset when I didn't let him play with the camera! He has been testing out manipulation by crying to see if he will get what he wants. We're not taking the bait- except when we know Tyler's crying because he's not feeling well and then he gets lots of snuggles and rocked to sleep.

Tyler is definitely feeling better now that he is on antibiotics for his ear infection. He was pretty perky yesterday. However, his fever came back for a little bit at daycare today and his teacher said he was pretty lethargic. The ear infection is supposed to clear up within a few days so we will just have to see how it goes.

Ear Infection

Just when we thought Tyler was medically in the clear for a while (that last cold/cough was pretty nasty), he goes and gets sick again! Tyler and I spent 2-1/2 hours at Urgent Care today to confirm he has an ear infection. Now he's on antibiotics again plus we have to give him ear drops, which he is not a fan of. Tyler didn't seem like himself when we picked him up from daycare on Friday night. He went to bed super early and woke up fussy a number of times. He felt warm Friday night and on Saturday (temps up to 100.2), but never really registered a fever (101.5) until this morning. Tyler also slept a ton on Saturday. Tyler vomited during the Super Bowl (he must have been worried when the Saints were down), but his fever finally broke around 8 pm. He is now sleeping soundly and hopefully on his way to feeling better. Tyler and I will definitely be laying low at home tomorrow so he can get lots of rest.

One cool thing did happen while we were at Urgent Care. We conversed with a number of people while in the waiting room including the mother and grandmother of a 14-month old boy who also had an ear infection. As they were leaving the pharmacy the little boy waved and said "bye-bye" and Tyler waved back. That's the first time I have seen Tyler wave and it was adorable!

Raised by Wolves

Tyler has been howling like a wolf a lot this week. It probably doesn't help that Michael and I howl back or along with him because it's so much fun. Now if someone asks Tyler if he was raised by wolves he can reply yes.

I'm Bananas over Mommy

Gee, I wonder who got Tyler this super cool bib? It's so sweet of Tyler to give Mommy a Valentine's shout-out the whole month of February!

Tyler has been enjoying his new crawling mobility and is in to everything now. That little monkey is quick too! We definitely have to keep a better eye out underfoot now because Tyler will crawl up behind you when you don't realize it. He usually makes himself known though by tugging on your pants. And if you are sitting on the ground you are subject to being Tyler's own personal jungle gym. He will crawl on you, grab various body parts such as your hair, and use you as support to try and pull up.

I don't know if Tyler has finally hit the separation anxiety stage or if he is just teething (the current amount of drool is out of control!) but he has been a little clingy lately. He previously would play contentedly while you went into another room for a minute (e.g. start a load of laundry) but now he lets you know he's not happy when you leave the room.

Now that Tyler realizes he can move about freely he does not like having his diaper changed. As soon as you go to lay him down he starts crying, kicking his legs, and trying to roll over. Often he can be comforted by a pacifier or by singing. I am going to have to expand my repertoire of songs that I know the words to. It is very difficult to change the diaper of a squirming 22-pound baby! To make it even more challenging Tyler likes to kick his legs to try and prevent you from getting his pants back on. Talk about strong-willed! I wonder where he gets that from? ; )