Brothers in name only?

So, I have to do a little comparison between Ian and Will. It's been almost one year, and Ian is quickly moving from infant to toddler. The past year is a complete and total blur. I honestly don't even remember how Ian got here sometimes!


I used to post a lot of stats about Will when he was a baby--since, as a first-time mom--I was obsessed with stats and percentiles. Those arbitrary numbers somehow made me feel like I was doing the right things. That said, let the comparisons begin...


When Will was a little over 11 months old, he had JUST started crawling, his FIRST tooth was peeking through, and I think he was saying "mamama" and "dadada." He also weighed in at about 22 lbs.


At the same age, Ian has just started WALKING (yes!), CLIMBING, has SIX teeth, and says "mamama" and "dadada." He weighs around 18 lbs. 4 oz (we think, at his last sick visit).


Another fun divergent fact: Will was always a great daytime napper, but had a harder time at night. But once he got the nighttime thing down (about 10-12 mos.), he was going to bed at 7 PM and waking up at 7 AM. At 3 years, Will still could take a 3 hour nap each day if we let him.


Ian, on the other hand, has never really napped well during the day, but has always been great at night. As a little baby, he drove me crazy taking 20 min cat naps all day (or sometimes not napping at all!). Now, Ian pretty much only takes one nap per day (about 1.5 hours if we're lucky), but it's hit or miss. Some days he'll take two half hour naps (gasp! not a pretty sight when he melts down at 6 PM). Other days--for no apparent reason--he'll take two, hour or so long naps, even if he slept in that morning. Ian is in constant motion, while Will literally didn't even start moving until he was 11 months old.


And eating. Both boys nursed and had formula from early on, and both self-weaned (whatever that means) at just around 11 months. We start both on solids about the same time (6 months), but Will took off from there like gangbusters. He ate baby food with no problem and was quite a rolly-polly baby (although not long). Ian, on the other hand, never really liked baby food and only now wants to eat things he can pick up himself.


He actually started on finger foods much earlier than Will. Probably because of the teeth--and just cause he wouldn't eat much else. And the doc was a little worried at Ian's 9 month check-up that he's consistently dropped weight percentiles since about 6 months. At 9 months, he was at the 4th percentile for weight -- which shocked me, since he's developing so quickly. So who knows. He was about the 25th percentile for weight when he was born.


And there ends my motherly comparison of the boys. Funny thing is that even though these guys are starting out so differently, watching them now, it looks like they still have lots in common. Mostly, a crazy mother who is already pulling her hair out worrying about the first trip to the ER.

My Funny Valentine

As this Valentine's Day winds down, and all my boys are upstairs snug in bed (yes, even C), I have to say that this year, the day actually means something to me. I'm a lucky gal to love and be loved by this family. How strange that a made-up marketing holiday could make me stop and realize it...

And for your viewing pleasure, our latest outdoor adventures. Christian took the boys outside to play because it was a blistering 25 degrees, and decided it was time to start practicing for the upcoming golf season. Believe it or not, Will took the picture of Christian hitting out of the "snow trap." Ian looks like he's having fun, right??

Snow-la-palooza!

I had to put in my 2 cents about this once-in-a-lifetime snow storm hitting the East Coast and mid-atlantic. Breaking records set in 1888. 1888 people! That's crazy.... And here I sit in upstate NY, with maybe 4-5 inches on the ground (more to come, for sure), after having commuted to and from work without incident in my tiny Honda Civic with snow tires. Yes, schools were open, businesses were open, the government was open.

But hey, it wasn't 3 feet of snow, so I'm gonna give VDOT a break.

And then I read that they're creating a MOUNTAIN of snow in an empty parking lot near the Anacostia River in D.C. -- because crews have just run out of places to put the snow. It's gonna get so big, you could ski down it! I was dying laughing. So, that's their idea of urban revitalization...

That just doesn't happen up here. There are plenty of wide open fields in which to dump tons of snow. Day after day after day. And it's been too cold to even think of getting outside with the kids to play in all that snow. When it's a high of 20, it just ain't that fun. For anyone.

So while DC/MD/VA parents and kids contemplate another week or so of snow days (what the hell are we going to do with these kids??!!), just remember that we in central NY have been cooped up inside for the past 3 MONTHS. Spring can't come fast enough.