See you later, waiting rooms

Between the 2 month check-up and the 4 month check-up
5 sick visits, one ambulance ride, 2 emergency room visits and a 3 day hospital stay
*RSV
*multiple ear infections

Between 4 month check-up and 6 month check-up
-3 sick visits, one visit to ENT doctor
*bronchiolitis
*multiple ear infections

Between 6 month check-up and 9 month check up
-one sick visit
-surgery for ear tubes and tongue tie
-visit to ENT doctor
*one piddly cold

Between 9 month check-up and 12 month check-up
-5 sick visits
-one visit to after hours stat clinic at Children's hospital
*double ear infections
*Swine Flu
*Fifth's Disease

So, you can see that Rylan has had a few extra visits to the doctor. They know us really well. We actually sent them flowers one time because they are a little like family. And take such good care of my boy. And, while I love to see their smiling faces, I would love nothing more than to see their smiling faces maybe at the check-out at Kroger, or Chuck E. Cheez (let's keep it real, only the children smile at Chuck E. Cheez, all parents are overwhelmed).

So Rylan just had his 15 month check up on Friday. Guess how many sick visits he's had since his last check-up?????? ZERO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh happy day, oh happy day. It hit me as I was driving to the doc on Friday. This is may be too personal and a little sad, but driving Rylan to the doctor makes me cry every time. I get flashbacks of the time I drove him there and we left in an ambulance. That helpless I've let my child get so sick feeling comes back and it just happens. So on Friday, I exit onto Interstate I-30 and start my trek and the tears automatically start the sting and then I realize: the last time I did this trek was for Rylan's 12 month visit. We did it! The staying home and trading babysitting, making him learn to sleep through the night, and doing the crazy anti-bacterial swipe at all restaurants and stores has paid off.

So, at 15 months Rylan is 28lbs-his first time out of the 90th percentile. He's now a mere 84th percentile (wonder what percentile I'm in? YIKES). 34 1/4 inches. I'm 61 inches on a good day. Rylan is 15months old and over half my height. At last check, he has 16 teeth. He is still off chicken, loves him some fruit, veg, and beans, and hands you his plate when he'd like it filled back up. Latest words include: ball, Aubrey (the little baby we babysit, sounds like "aubie"), and "eed it" as he throws a book at you.

It really is easier to play WITH the toys if you are actually WITH the toys

Young and Old

I love Rylan. In the last 15 months, I have become more child-like and more mature somehow. Kids do that to you and I love it love it love it. Like, take Rylan's bristle blocks, I have successfully created every block-character that comes in the flyer inside the toy's box. Rylan could care less, he takes me creations and rips them apart. I built his Little People Farm into an awesome farm, took a picture and sent it to Rob one day at work. We dance to annoying songs, we chase each other around the house, and I talk to him in the car to the point that people passing me probably think I'm psychotic.

At the same time, I've somehow grown up a lot in the last year and some change. Like when I had the stomach flu and was still breastfeeding. Usually when you are sick, especially with the pukies, you find a cool spot on your bathroom floor and you pass out there for a few days. If not eating for a few days felt good, that was allowed. But, I had to take care of Rylan, and somehow choke down some food so that I could still breastfeed. It was at that moment that I learned that moms don't get sick days.

I am also notoriously late. My poor mother had to use every punishment in the book to get my adolescent b-u-t-t in the car on time to get to school. I've been late to college classes, late to work. Late, late, late. A few weeks ago Rylan and I were so early for a birthday dinner, we had to wait for the birthday girl (who is ALWAYS early) for over 10 minutes. Rob and I have started leaving for church extra early to get the coveted pew directly in front of the cry room (so he has about 10 kids to stare at during church).

I'm very thankful to that little/big sack of cute stuff for making me discover my inner kid and inner adult all in a year's time.

Precious angel won't stay out the dog food/water bowls. Yay.

Happy Lent to everyone. We went to Ash Wednesday Mass last night. I'm super sad that I don't have a pic of an ashen Rylan. Last year he didn't come with me because it was too soon after his RSV troubles to be out and about that much. This year, he was acting all 1-year old on us. I had to change his shirt at church which semi rubbed off the ashes, then he rubbed his face on my cheek, which transferred some ashes, then the minute we got home, the fits started and it was pajamas and a night-night. By the time I got my camera ready, Rylan looked like someone had punched him in the head, all black and blue-ish.

I always give up chocolate and coffee for Lent. Last year I got real sick of my Lenton sacrifice. So, this year, I am going to read my bible everyday. I tried this a few years ago and let it slip, this time, I'm in it to win it. And I hope that I'll continue it after Lent is over. I'm also going to try to cut down on being such a cuss-bug. I'd love to say I don't cuss, and I do try to keep it at a minimum, but yesterday I left my curling iron on and didn't realize it till I was down the road and there flies a "$&&*" out of my mouth. Not good. Not with little super sonic ears in his carseat. So, everytime I cuss, I'll put money in a jar and that money will go to church. I really hope I don't have to give the church thousands. Not because they don't deserve the money, but how embarrasing to know it was because I am basically a sailor?

I've asked Rylan to give up his pre-terrible Two fits that he has been having for Lent. And forever. So far today, he hasn't agreed to the Lenton sacrifice. But, in between fits, we get a whole lot of this cutie.

Our little dancing machine no longer has to hang onto his zebra or the coffee table or the entertainment center to get his moves going. He does a high clap/wheels on the bus combo. Sorry its dark. Often when I grab the camera and secure the correct lighting, it ruins the moment and Rylan is just not ready for his close-up.

Its almost as if we are the kids

Is it just me, or does Rylan have a chip on his shoulder?

Still, there, hidden by the Trump Hair

"Seriously, why are you laughing, and why do you have a camera? We hare having nachos here, this is serious business!"

"Okay, that was pretty funny"

Let it snow, let it snow, now let it melt, let the sun come out

It snowed! Not iced. It really snowed! It was marvelous. Beautiful. There were giant snowflakes falling out of the sky. I bundled Rylan and I up in two layers of clothes, scarves, hoods and such to brave the elements, grabbed two dogs and we all went out to frolic. Rylan thought it was AWESOME. Mostly because the dogs were out with us, but he kind of liked the white stuff too. We were learning about making snowballs when it felt as though we'd been hit by a snowball, then another, then another. Snowballs were coming out of the sky! I learned later that when it gets closer to 32 degrees, this is what happens, gigantic "snowflakes" and then.......rain. Yes, I had my one year old out in the snowball fight and it started raining. So, our fun frolic in the snow got cut short, but at least we had our ten minutes.





Now we have a little cabin fever. We stayed in for two days straight, then ventured out to Kroger and a lunch date with Rob on Wednesday. After the Kroger parking lot experience, I decided that another day at home was best. So 3 days this week have been spent indoors and we are both a little ticky. Its days like these that I question my choice to limit Rylan's TV watching. Because I've done this, you see, he's not really interested in much TV. Don't get me wrong, the boy is ADDICTED to his "Your Baby Can Talk" sign language videos I "archived" from Netflix. They are supposed to teach him sign language which will help him talk somehow. So far we have dog and shoe, but mostly Rylan likes to watch it approximately 1 inch from the TV and not do any of the signs. Anyway, I busted out some classic cartoons for Rylan and I to be lazy with and he was bored. Apparently Aladdin, 101 Dalmations, and Seseme Street on VHS aren't up to his "your baby can talk" standards.

I have gotten some good use of my 50cent buy at a garage sale. A book called the Toddler's Busy book. If you have a kid that you are home with, you should go get one. I'd even pay more than 50cents. They have a whole section on rainy days. I've been impressed by some of the stuff they've suggested that I thought sounded corny that Rylan has actually enjoyed. One was playing with ice. You take an ice block and a diapered kid, put them in the bathtub and let them play. Rob and I's MOST AWESOME icemaker frequently gives us ice blocks, so this was something I tried

Classy me left the garage sale tag o

"what do you want me to do with this?"

Still not sure

And, he's done

Today, we are going to try some indoor activities out of the house. The library for one, and I'm not above mall walking either. On these cold days, Rob and I are favoring the warmth of bed over the un-fun working out at 5:30am workouts. A mall walk would get us some exercise.

Pro-chicken Life

When I was preggers with Ry, my body could not tolerate chicken. We eat a lot of chicken here at the Qualls house. Fun faves are: Poppy Seed Chicken casserole, Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Satay Skewers, and Chicken Stir Fry. They all went out the window. I would make them, put the chicken in my mouth, then just like a 4 year old, I would say (with food in mouth) "I can't eat this." I was chicken free from about 8 weeks until 24 weeks. At 24 weeks, I still didn't like chicken, but blood tests proved that my new diet of Lucky Charms was leaving me lacking in certain nutrients. I tried to improvise all of our favorites with new fun beef dinners until Rob proclaimed "I MISS CHICKEN." I grew up and forced it down. And I do mean forced. As soon as I had Rylan? I was cured. I am now back to chicken several times a week.

Guess who isn't? Rylan Alexander Qualls.

Mr. Eats Everything has found his SOMETHING he doesn't like. Yesterday I put yummy Italian Grilled Chicken, rice and steamed broccoli on his plate. Guess what hit the floor. Plain white rice? No. Steamed broccoli? No. Yummy chicken? YES SIR. Last week I bought us a #6 to share at Sonic; Popcorn Chicken (not a high point in my quest for the health of my family) and he threw it all on the ground. He will eat fish, pork, beef, chili, lentils, cabbage, cauliflower, any casserole, he even ate some sort of root off my friend's plate at Bonefish last night. What is that? How was an 8 week fetus, with an alien head and nubs for arms able to convey the hate for chicken through the uterus, into my stomach?

On a side note, I made Rylan his first Peanut Butter and Jelly and he nodded his head the entire time he ate it. I guess he approved.

I'm thinking that Rylan is just equating the chicken species with his feathered friends down by our lake.

I love this lake, it was a huge selling point for us when we bough our house. It was also so wonderful during my bedrest days to get out and see on car rides. The minute the old body was up to it after having Rylan, we tried to get in a walk by our lake whenever we could. Then, when my heart could tolerate the fear, I started taking Rylan down on the little dock. After a few months of taking the stroller onto the dock, I have eventually let him out of the stroller. Scaredy Mama.

Isn't it gorgeous (minus the graffiti on the handrail of the dock)?

Feathered Friends

He can barely stand the excitement

We are usually swarmed, these two on the far left talk loud and shoo everyone away eventually

I could sit and feed ducks all day, it is a stress reliever

Rylan, on the other hand, would just assume eat the snack himself

He's excited, I'm having a panic attack

I have been lacking in the blogging department. The truth is, we lost our camera charger (new one has been ordered), so no picture taking or uploading is going on. And, without cute Ry picks, its just really not the kinda blog you wanna read.

Here are some funny Rylan stories

-We went to Barnes and Noble to play with the train table and Rylan put both hands on the train table and "dropped it like its hot" twice. In case you don't know this is a dance move where you hang onto something (or go no hands if you are brave) and drop your body till your butt nearly touches the floor. He looked around to make sure everyone was looking.

-Today, his bad mom waited too long to change his diaper and realized when she was ready to check out at Kroger that he'd wet through the diaper, and pants, and down the leg, and onto the cart seat. Oops.

-Rylan now runs and his very favorite thing to do is to walk/run around the house holding two things. Usually a kleenex and sock combo. Last night it was two shoes and he was so excited about his two shoe find.

One thing I do have pics of is Rylan's first major boo boo. He fell in our driveway. His little feet got all twisted when he was trying to turn around. He got a little road rash. Let me tell you. When you are pregnant you get a lot of comments "how far along are you, wow you are big for 22 weeks." When you have a new baby you get alot of compliments. "why do you have that little baby out in this weather???" Well, when you go out with a 1 year old with road rash, you get ALOT of comments. "been walking much?", "I see the road won", "did mama not hold your hand?" I have to say, that never in my life have I told a stranger that her gigantic belly looks like it might bust open, I've never told a new mom to get her bootie back home, and I have never commented on a little ones boo boos. I guess I'm weird.

Still smiling

Poor baby