Scholarly Pursuits

Mommy note I: If you are a Gamma-Rita type that has a tendency to skip right to the photos, you should know there's also a new video up on our YouTube™ channel that ties in nicely with this post. The video and photos btw, were one of my many, many vain attempts to get a shot of Seth in his "Tuff Guy" onesie – and while I didn't capture what I set out to capture, I ended up with some pretty great material nonetheless. 

•   •   •   •   •

– What you has over there, Nate?
– Oh, just 'dis book I is strangely fixated on all of a sudden. Is about no logos. Or something. I be honest with you Seth, I not really sure what that mean but I know I is intent on figuring it out since I find 'dis book no matter where Mommy hide it. Seriously. I is like dog with bone over it. 

– That bigger answer than I expected Nate. "A book" would have covered my level of curiosities at 'dis point.
– Shhh! I is looking at especially riveting part. 

– Is very exciting all 'dis no logo business. Also is excuse to make interesting faces. 

– OK. I is over it for a minute so I finally think to ask... what has you over there Seth?
– Oh, I has a book too. 

– Does yours has pictures? Mine has pictures. Graphs too. *touch* *touch* *touch*
– No pictures. My book about psychos. 

– Ah, I look through psycho book already. You is welcome to it. Is no "No Logos" book. I just saying.

•   •   •   •   •

Mommy note II: You might have noticed there's a bookshelf in our kitchen. In case that seems a bit odd, I feel obliged to point out that we didn't always have a bookshelf there. We have always had a lot of books however and in the great room shuffle way back when, somehow it became necessary to relocate one of our many bookshelves kitchen-ward. There is actually a third bookshelf, but since it's on the upstairs floor (a Narnia like place the boys have yet to stumble upon) it hasn't appeared as a backdrop here. Yet.

Again, we have a lot of books. 

And quite possibly it's a genetic trait, since Nate and Seth seem pretty obsessed also. In hindsight, it's not surprising that Seth's first word was "book". Or that he has his own library*.

Since the boys were old enough to crawl out to the kitchen at mealtime, the kitchen bookshelf has always been the go-to spot. The fact that they are walking now only means they are able to get there faster. It's not uncommon for a book-raid to take place on any given day before I'm able to get everyone seated, but the fascination over the "No Logo" book is a bit baffling.

For the record when I took these photos and shot the video (seriously, go check it out), No Logo was solely Nate's territory, but Seth is in on the action now too.

It's become a bit of a game and I'll admit I play along because it's really pretty amusing. I really do hide the book, but only on the lower two shelves where they can reach it easily.

And reach it easily they do. I think I might need to start hiding it for real.

- L.

* Much like the Touching Finger, Seth's Library™ deserves it's own post. Which I will get to one of these days. You know, in all my spare time.

All I Wanted...

*sigh*

All I wanted was a reasonably clear picture of Nate and Seth sporting their new onesies so I could wax poetic for a moment about how fast they've grown and what big boys they are now and so forth. Sentimental Mommy stuff basically.

Of course, what I wanted to take a picture of and what I ended up with are two different things. Sadly, the real world tends to trump Fantasy-Mommy-World more often than not.

About the onesies: my 16 month old future basketball all-stars have been sporting size 24 months of late and with that in mind I only ordered them one apiece since I realize the days of onesie wearing are about over.

These will likely be the last ones I ever buy for them. Ever.

EVER.

*sniffle*

Since I didn't have much luck getting any clear pics of the boys wearing them, here they are sans babies for posterity:

And I think this picture sums up why I'm feeling so sentimental: 

Those white onesies are the very first clothing item they ever wore. Ever.

EVER. 

*lip tremble* *lump in throat* *eyes getting misty* 

My wee babies (who will always be my babies just to be clear) have turned into such little boys overnight.

*sob* 

•   •   •   •   •

While I take a much-needed moment to collect myself (and before Gamma Rita gives me a verbal beating for making her look at a pee-stick for the past week), please enjoy my attempts to take some pics of my guys sporting their new attire. For the record, this was my third attempt (as in three entirely separate occasions on three entirely different days) to take quality photos and these really were the very best of the lot. 

Really.

At least Seth finally sat still, even if you can't see the front of his new onesie. Nate however, was busy running laps pretty much the entire time.

Wheee!!!

The one moment where Nate paused long enough he's only slightly blurry: 

Hi Nate!

Seth on the other hand is displaying his enviable posture to the fullest. As far as anyone can tell, this is not an inherited trait from either side of the family (hence our envy). Let us hope he never learns of our slouchy ways. 

– 'Dis my best slouch everyone. Don't worry, I not go over to slouchy dark side full-time. Is only because I is tired of posing for pictures that keep getting photobombed. I is giving good face here and everything! *sigh* Is OK though. In the end, I not get mad. 

– I get even. 'Dis what being a tough guy all about!

- L.

PS. Of course the "Tuff Guy" onesie is Seth's! How could I resist? He is a pretty tough guy after all.

2 Years & Roughly 18 Hours Ago...

I woke up early because I couldn't stand to wait another minute to find out. A miracle like this turned out to be is pretty hard to wait for after all.

An unforgettable sight on an unforgettable day on what I can without reservation say has been the adventure of a lifetime.

- L.

PS. If you're the sort to be interested in science-y stuff, this is more or less what my boys would have looked like that day settling in for the next 8 months.

Except two of them. And probably cuter. Of course.

Nate's Big Adventure: Part II

Yesterday morning Nate and I headed out to Women's College Hospital to meet with a doctor who specializes in both pediatrics and sports medicine. I got a call last week to let us know about the appointment, and although I knew it had something to do with Nate not being able to sit unassisted at 15 months (now 16 months), the details were a little sparse.

Backtracking a little: our pediatrician is away from her practice for the next two months and was unable to find someone to cover for her in her absence. Her office closed before I was able to get Nate to Sick Kids for his x-ray, and I had initially thought she was planning to wait for the results before possibly putting through a referral to a physician that deals with sports medicine. So I wasn't sure if she somehow had received the results from her sick-bed and decided it was such an emergency that she somehow dialed this one in (her leave btw was due to a medical situation that required a surgery and lengthy recovery), or if she'd had a change of heart and decided to send the referral in anyway, OR if I'd possibly misunderstood something in the wake of Mommy-panic at finding out Seth has a heart murmur. Reception for the new doctor at WCH did nothing to clear any of that up, so we showed up rather blindly.

On with the visit then!

Here we are taking the elevator up to the 10th floor. Nate wasn't too cooperative about looking at the camera, but thanks to the magic that is mirrors...

We see you Nate!

Also seen: me looking a sweaty mess. It was HOT outside yesterday – I think 40+ with the humidex? More like 45 when you have an equally sweaty toddler attached to you.

We filled in some requisite paperwork when we got to our destination and were shown into a room promptly. It was made clear that this was a pants-off* affair for Nate. Normally no pants = awesome, but I think that only applies at home. The fun times go out the window at the doctor's office.

Before his exam however, Nate managed to make a new friend: 

– Well hello there. You is an interesting fellow. *touch* 

– Your Mommy needs to feed you a sandwich though.

Sadly, this is where the photo journey ends. And by sadly, I mean things got sad. And by things that were sad, I mean Nate specifically. 

Although the doctor appeared to be a very pleasant and mild-mannered sort and had yet to address anyone much less begin an examination, Nate decided he wasn't having any of it and commenced with full-on meltdown mode. 

It was epic everyone!

And it almost made me feel less Mommy-guilt about taking this picture the other day just so you all would have a point of reference.

Well, more like a starting point of reference.

I did say it was epic, right?

We all did our best to soldier on. I had Nate on my lap for most of our visit while the doctor checked his range of motion and declared it within the scope of normal. Just to be clear:

• Feet on backwards? Normal.

• Legs at a 90° sideways angle to the body? Normal.

• This? Totally normal.

I know. I was pretty surprised too.

For the last part of the exam, the doctor wanted to see Nate walking. We tried the Mommy-release-to-Daddy-down-the-hall and the Daddy-release-to-Mommy-down-the-hall, but it was just not happening. In a last ditch effort (at the doctors suggestion) we tried Mommy-and-Daddy-down-the-hall-with-much-hated-doctor-doing-the-release. It was a decent idea in theory – the reasoning being that Nate would want to move away from the doctor as quickly as possible.

Nate however wasn't interested in logical approaches at this point and promptly crumpled into a puddle of misery on the floor. Recovery at this point was futile.

The remainder of the appointment was relatively brief, but in a nutshell:

• Nate's hip x-ray came back clear. His hip joints are perfectly normal.

• His extreme range of motion everywhere may lessen as he grows. Or he may end up with some neat party tricks later in life.

• My concern about Nate's spine is likely not significant. I did bring this photo and the doctor could see what I was concerned about**, but said that although it might be a slight curvature, it might also just be the way Nate was standing/slouching. Also a spinal curvature less than 20° is within the range of acceptable.

• In lieu of an obvious physiological problem, the doctor feels that this is something Nate will outgrow in time and nothing needs to be done on my part for now in terms of encouraging sitting in the more standard way.

The doctor would like to see us again in 4 months for a follow-up however just to be on the safe side.

In the meantime I will do my best to put my Mommy worries aside and let Nate sort this one out in his own time.

He looked rather pensive about it all on the way home:

I just wondering if 'dis hat show off my curls at the back
in ways that make you swoon a little.
Oh, and thinking about stinkeroo visit too, of course.

- L.

*Why yes, that is a disposable diaper Nate is sporting. While we still cloth diaper at home, I have come to my senses on the convenience of disposables when toting a toddler plus gear on my back. Not only are they space-savers going, but you can throw them away after use which means they are also space-savers upon return. And I'm 100% certain my fellow public transit takers appreciated one less odor to ponder as well.

**Humorous highlight of our otherwise miserable visit: the doctor's assistant was most curious about how I managed to stick all those dots on Nate before I took this photo:

Hold still, Nate. Mommy has to put stickers on you.

... and he genuinely seemed befuddled when I said Photoshop. I think he actually thought I took the time to somehow apply dot-shaped stickers while Nate (and Seth too) somehow remained entirely motionless.