9/30/09

What's Going On?

We are all alive and well, we have just been slacking on the postings! A lot has happened in the last few weeks.

The biggest change has been for Blythe and her new schedule. Jason has decided that he is ready to get down to business and hammer out this PhD (applause!). While Jason has enjoyed and will miss his T/TH mornings with Blythe he feels that he needs a solid 40+ hour work week to really make progress. This means we had to find alternate arrangements as far as child care for Blythe. I would have LOVED to quit my job and stay home with Blythe full time, but lets face it a student salary isn't exactly where the money's at. I thought oh Blythe loves to go places and have a change of scenery so she would probably enjoy a mother's day out program. I did some research and got some strong recommendations for St. Anthony's which is just around the corner from us. I was very excited to go visit after talking to them on the phone about the music and outside time the kids had on a daily basis. This would have been a MWF 8:30-2:30 gig, but I would have worked 7:30-2:30 to make my 20 hours. I went for the tour and while I was hopefully that I would leave there thinking Blythe will have an excellent time here, but that wasn't the case. There really wasn't anything "wrong" with the place. It had a great ratio 2:1, it was clean, and they did have activities, but Blythe would be in the nursery which was tiny and stale and lined with cribs and just not the environment I wanted Blythe to be in. They also didn't have a good age range for Blythe. She would have been in the nursery because she was too young for the 18 month toddler room. I really felt like she was too old for the nursery and too young for the toddler room so there really wasn't a good fit for her. I left there a little discourage, but planned to visit St. Thomas on Friday.

THEN the best thing happened! Answered prayers. {Side Note: The Romansky's (couple from our birthing class) have a little boy just weeks older than Blythe who had been coming to our house on T/TH mornings while Thaddeus had class. Thaddeus had similar thinking to Jason in that he needed more time working in order to finish his PhD.} When Robyn dropped Michael off on Thursday she told me that her cousin had just moved to town for a PT assistant program offered at Blinn College and she had been applying at day cares for a job. My eyes immediately lit up because I knew what Robyn was thinking! Long story short (or at least shorter) Robyn's cousin, Mandie, is now watching Michael and Blythe 20 hours a week and doing an awesome job. I love that Blythe is interaction with someone her own age and that the 2:1 ratio. I love that Michael and Blythe spend 2 days a week at our house and 2 days a week at Michael's house so they have some variety. This really is a sweet deal and I couldn't be more thankful!

This is our second full week of the 'shared nanny' and Jason and Thaddeus are getting a lot done, Blythe and Michael are enjoying each others company and Mandy is getting to hang out with 2 wonderful toddlers instead of a room full!

Blythe is really moving these days. She is the funniest to watch when you get her in a wide open hard surfaced place (the grass slows her down). My mom and I learned this when we ventured out to the mall and let Blythe out of the stroller. She was literally running faster than her feet could carry her! She would run, run, run, then SMACK, face plant, laugh and get up again! It was fun to watch.

Blythe is also saying a handful of words (bye bye, hi, baby, all done, vroom vroom, dada, momma, ball, door) and signing as well! The most recent thing she has learned to sign is please and it is SO cute. It beats the heck out of the point and when she wants something. It is so nice to be able to remind her to sign please and even nicer when she does it unprompted!

Live is good in the Wilkes household. There are a few families who don't have it quite as good as we do right now so if you get a chance say a little prayer for the Robinson's, Whittakers, and Baby Sam

9/13/09

The Birthday Crash

It was Friday, August 28, a little after 10, long past Blythe's bedtime. Daddy was already a day late getting Blythe's birthday present assembled and was determined to give it to her. He said "keep her up just 10 more minutes, it will be worth it." 10 minutes came and went, but not too long after, Daddy arrived with the present that was going to be a "hit" (in more ways than one). Blythe has enjoyed the riding toys that her friends Michael and Ian have so Daddy decided to make her one of her own, combining all the different elements from the other toys so hers would be the top of the line.

Blythe was sitting at one end of the living room when Daddy arrived with the new toy. Daddy gave it a slight push and it started rolling towards her, she saw what it was and started crawling towards it..all of a sudden it was as if the tricycle starting gaining speed, then BANG it hit Blythe square in the face. This instantly drew tears and a handful of wails. After a few minutes Blythe had recovered from her first show down with the tricycle, but wasn't quite ready to ride on it. Instead she decided to push it. The wheels started rolling a little to fast and BANG she fell down and hit the front of the tricycle AGAIN. Daddy had yet to completely safety proof the tricycle so it still had a very sharp edge on the front. This was the end of the tricycle. We weren't sure what was sadder, the fact that Daddy was so excited to give it to Blythe and just knew it was going to be a great moment or the fact that the Tricycle jump up and bit Blythe, twice.

Since the incident the Tricycle has been in our living room just waiting for Blythe to forgive it and take it for a ride. That day finally came on Saturday September 12! Out of the blue Blythe points to the tricycle says "vroom, vroom" and happily mounted it. Unfortunately Jason wasn't here for the first ride, but he was very excited to see that his Tricycle was not a complete flop.







9/7/09

Party Time!

Thanks to everyone who came and celebrated Blythe's Birthday.

It appears that Ian has caught someone red handed

Not everyone is as fortunate as Blythe to have Grandparent's and Great Grandparent's attend their 1st birthday!
Since Blythe loves balls and her first word was ball we decided to make her a ball cake! Blythe also enjoys playing with Dina the Dino:



Although Blythe is only 1 she is already great at sharing (food that is)
She is enjoying all the new toys!