Music Clinic, Peas & Carrots, and Time For Juice!

 Week 23

Sorry this is late but a co-worker asked me to switch a shift and I worked Friday instead of Wednesday.  Change my routine a little and I'm all messed up!  

Week 23 started out with a bang of a weekend.  Friday, Ty and I spent most of the day getting ready for Music Clinic weekend - which was really a Latimer family reunion.  Friday night, we went over to the Edwards to stay the night, since it is right on the way to Maine - and again for Uncle Adam to baby-sit the puppies.  Earlier in the day, Ty had peas for the first time and he loved them from the first taste!  But he went berserk for them at dinner at the Edwards!  Not only did he do the impatient opening the mouth thing, but he also started shaking his head from side to side, like a feeding frenzy.  We ended up laughing hysterically.  What was not so hysterical was Tyson on Friday night.  Granted we put him to bed late at about 9:45, but he went right to sleep.  However, I had a major mental lapse and let his "nature sounds" shut off.  I usually have it cycle non-stop for about 1.5 hours, or else he wakes up.  Well, what do you know, he woke up freaking out.  I think he woke up scared because it was a strange room.  It was also a strange bed.  We brought the big pack n' play that we got at Burlington Coat Factory to Heath's parents to leave and this was Ty's first night sleeping in it.  All of these scenarios were a toxic combination and he proceeded to scream from 10:45 until 12:30 AM.  Heath slept through it all - he is a wicked deep sleeper.  There really is truth to what you read in the books that you need to take a break from the screaming.  Because at the 1.5 hour mark of continual screaming, I yelled at Tyson "Shut up!"  First of all, because my nerves were fried, and I was sick, but I actually was trying to scare him into stopping the screaming cycle.  But, of course, as soon as I did it, I felt horrible.  I went back over to his pack n' play (I was getting up and consoling him in 10 minute intervals) and he gave me his famous ear-to-ear grin.  Now doesn't that make you feel even worse?  At long last, he fell asleep, but what a screaming marathon!

More peas please!

Packing to go to Music Clinic - he wanted to make sure he got to go!

Daddy messing around with Ty while packing!

Sabbath brought Music Clinic.  We drove over and had a family reunion during the church service.  The music was great but it was hard to concentrate during the sermon because of all the kids!  The highlight was meeting cousin Zasha for the first time.  Zasha is Jonathan and Marcela's daughter and they live in Texas.  Jonathan conducts the choir every year at Music Clinic, so it has gotten to be a bit of a family gathering every year.  This year was the major one when the Grodacks decided to come from Florida.  And then, because they were going to be the only family members not there, David and Yully came from Florida as well.  But when push came to shove, Ricky didn't come, under very secretive circumstances.  I still have not heard the official reason, though I wonder if it has to do with a girl.  Anyway, Zasha is just adorable!  She has such a happy personality and she seemed taken with Tyson.  She liked to beat up on him!  Poor Ty - Zasha could definitely take him down if she wanted to!  For lunch, we went to the house that the Braces were renting and it was gorgeous!  It was right on the ocean and the views were spectacular.  Major news was announced during lunch.  Leigh and Devin are expecting!  We knew this, of course, but it was announced for the entire family.  Leigh and Shannon are due 3 weeks apart!  October/November will be a very exciting time!  Anyways, we all had a great time hanging out on Sabbath afternoon.  Tyson did fairly well, even though he had a rough time on Friday night.  I have to brag, though.  Heath was trying to get Ty to take his "powernap" in the afternoon, and was rocking him in a chair.  But it wasn't working at all.  I cuddled him up in my arms, sat down on a couch, and I am not exaggerating, he was asleep in 1 minute.  It feels good to have that "Mommy touch!"  We ended up going to the closing concert a bit late, but in time to hear Jonathan's choir performing.  They were really excellent.  It was so funny... we were talking with Janel at the end of the show, and Tyson started laughing.  And when I say, laughing - he was nearly hysterical.  He had fits of giggles and just was grinning and grinning at Janel.  I don't know what came over him, but I guess he decided that he had a crush on her!  Then we headed to Econo Lodge for the night.  Great deal at $61 and the rooms were very nice and clean.  Sonia stayed with us too, because she had a teacher's in-service the next day in Portland.  Thank goodness, Ty went right to sleep, even though he and I played the "binky game" every hour for the first three hours.  I will take that game any day over screaming at bedtime.

 All 7 cousins (or grandkids)

 Zasha

 Camden in Ty's outfit that Aunt Lori gave him (it will take Ty awhile to fit it!)

Ty was upset that we had him in Aubree's pink bib!

Flirting with Janel

On Sunday the family went to SeaDog's Brewing Company for breakfast.  I have to say that I got a bit emotional saying goodbye to Jonathan, Marcela, and Zasha.  It really stinks having them in Texas because we barely get to see them once a year.  And it is not enough at all.  Then we all kind of split in groups and went shopping.  My group headed to Goodwill first and then to Mardens.  The best deal I found was brand-new Sketcher Shape-up sneakers (in my size, which is hard to find) at Mardens for $34.99.  I looked on-line and the average price for them are about $75 - $90.  So I was psyched!  After that, Heath and Sean went to LLBeans and Shannon, Ty and I headed back to the "ocean mansion."  That was when I got my couponing lesson from Corey.  She is one of those "extreme couponers" (there is a reality show on ?TLC about this, I just found).  The goal is never to spend money on certain items again (like toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap etc.).  And you can get say a $125 of groceries for about $6 - for example.  Anyways, I was a bit skeptical, but she has won me over.  I am going to try it for awhile, but if it takes too much time, then I might be done.  But I love bargain-hunting and this is the ultimate hunt.  Of course, I broke the #1 rule of couponing and I did not pick up a Sunday paper - so the couponing will have to start next week.  After the lesson, Heath, Ty and I headed to Cabela's, where Heath met up with his brother and father.  I, of course, had to feed Tyson in the car and he was due for his solid foods.  I was a true MacGuyer because I had not brought any dishes, so I cut a water bottle at the bottom to use as a bowl.  It worked fine and Ty gobbled it all up.  Then we met Sonia at the Macaroni Grill (our favorite restaurant).  It was heavenly and I tried something new.  I told Heath, "Let's see if Ty will stay in his carseat the whole meal and we won't have to hold him."  We gave him plenty of toys and kept talking to him and he was fine for the whole time!  Amazing.  After dinner, we went back to the Edwards to grab the dogs and I nursed Ty one more time.  I put him in his jammies (see, I learned something) and he fell right asleep in the car.  The incredible thing was that I was able to ease him out of his carseat and into his crib without him waking up when we got home!  He slept a full 12 hours!  I think he was exhausted after the busy weekend.

 Getting ready to go out to breakfast

Ty will miss you, Marcela!

 Sisters with their grand-kids

 Yes, we still look alike!

Switch-a-roo!

Not too too much to report on Monday, except that he refused to take an AM nap.  I figured it was from sleeping 12 hours but then he only took a 15 minute nap in the afternoon.  Are you kidding me?  Needless to say, Ty was cranky pants all day.  But he slept another 12 hours Monday night, so how can I complain?

Tuesday he took his AM nap, so I figured Monday was just a fluke.  Tuesday afternoon the Jehovah's Witnesses came to visit.  I am having a bit of a problem.  They have been coming occasionally for awhile and I do not have the heart to give them the boot, so I invite them in and we chat.  However, they had come by last week while I had company, so I had actually told them they could come back on Tuesday afternoon.  Well, I didn't realize that meant that it was going to be a full-on Bible study.  They stayed about 40 minutes - right in the middle of breastfeeding Ty.  That was just great.  So they are coming back again this Tuesday.  They know I'm a Seventh-Day Adventist - I keep telling them that I am strong in my faith, but how do I politely tell them that I don't need "what they are selling?"  Anyways, after they left, I had to finish feeding Ty and then ate lunch myself (at 3 pm) and run to the grocery store.  I used my first coupon from Market Basket!  It was for $1 off canned tuna if you bought 2 Hellman's products.  It was perfect because I had mayo on my list and Heath likes to make tuna-fish sandwiches.  The tuna was $1, so it was free!  The downside of the grocery shopping was that Tyson only slept for 15 minutes in the car and carseat.  This has been happening more and more lately.  So I am really going to have to stay at home in the afternoon for him to get his powernap?  But the 45 minute nap really does make a difference, because by 7 PM on Tuesday night, because he had not gotten his afternoon nap, he was completely exhausted and done.

"Please put me to bed!"

Wednesday AM, he slept until 9 AM.  I decided then and there that we have to move Ty's bedtime up.  He has to start getting up at 7:30 or 8:00 again, instead of 9:00!  To my horror, Tyson did not take another AM nap.  So I officially started freaking out.  At least he slept for 1.5 hours in his crib in the afternoon (I did not dare go anywhere that afternoon).  I ended up giving him prune juice for the first time on Wednesday night, since Ty has still been battling constipation on and off.  I had initially tried it in a sippy cup first, but he was not getting the hang of that at all.  I put it in the bottle and Heath tried to give it to him, but he didn't dig it.  He threw such a fit while trying to eat his solids at dinner, that I decided to start feeding him the solids at his 4PM feeding and to just nurse him before bedtime.  And that way maybe I can get him in bed earlier!  He went down at 8:45 PM Wednesday night, which is the earliest he has ever gone to bed!  And he went right down without any crying!

That's not exactly how you use the sippy cup, Ty!

Thursday, he woke up at 8AM (more like it) and took his AM nap.  I finally did a full cleaning of the house (it had been a month) and Tyson did fairly well by himself while I was vacuuming.  His spoiled-baby syndrome came out at lunchtime.  I gave him his rice cereal first and he acted so excited.  He opened his mouth wide in anticipation and as soon as the bland rice cereal hit his little taste buds, he started screaming.  I switched to carrots (which he got for the first time) and he was happy as a clam.  Then I mixed some carrots with the rice cereal and then he gobbled the cereal down too!  I tried the prune juice again, and in true Ty fashion, on his second try he loved it and drank the whole ounce.  Thursday night, we went to the OG with my parents.  This time Ty did not spend the whole time in the carseat.  We went to Walmart afterwards and Ty had a complete hysterical laughing fit while we were in line.  Why I have no idea.  But it was adorable!

Carrots are the best!

 Grinning at Noni & Poppy at the OG

And that brings a close to the busy week 23.  Have a great week!

What a close up!

 His "James Dean" look!

 "I'm ready to eat.  Bring it on!"

 Smiley Ty

 Very interested in Daddy's candy!