Gabe goes potty for the first time

This morning I put Gabe on his potty, like I did yesterday. I have been doing this a few days, but not expecting anything or trying to pressure (I was still basking in glow stemming from the fact that he was even sitting on it) him. I try to help him get up because he'd been sitting there for about three minutes or so and I thought nothing happened. Well, he really didn't want to get up. So I let him sit there for a few seconds longer.

Well, lo and behold, I look in the pot and there was pee!

I was shocked, because I hadn't expected him to do anything in there for a few months. My goal was just to sit him on there a few times a day, including right after he gets up in the mornings and after a meal, and just get him used to it. When we first got the potty a few weeks ago, he didn't even want to sit on it, period. So I felt he came a long way from that, to actually sitting on it with clothes on, then sitting on it without a diaper.

After the grand event, both Craig and I made a BIG deal about it and Gabe liked that a lot. Of course, I know he is not totally trained but it's definitely progress.

Anemia, Craig's wrist update and eating out

This morning I woke up feeling sick. For the first five or ten minutes after I got up, I was ok. I took Gabe's diaper off and he sat on his potty for about a minute or two (nothing happened). Then, I just started feeling weak, like I felt when I became anemic in my six month of pregnancy. I barely got Gabe into his high chair and asked Craig to feed him while I made a smoothie for myself and laid back down.

I got up around noon and felt like 5 percent better, ate a little lunch and then basically laid back down with Gabe to nap at around 1pm. When we got up at 3pm, I felt 90 percent better. And now this evening I feel pretty good and gave Gabe his bath.

I'm think it was anemia because it felt familiar (the extreme weakness, like I'm about to pass out), I'm really prone to it and I felt better after resting. I haven't been taking vitamins regularly since Gabe was about 15 months old. So I think I need to start taking my multi-vitamins with iron again and probably to get my yearly check-up.

I was really disappointed because the weather was nice and it would have been nice to go out and do something. We ended up going out later to get coffee and walk around. So tomorrow, I think we will venture out and do something a little more exciting. The weather is supposed to be nice again.

Craig is still feeling good; he can stretch his fingers well, but his wrist is still sore. He's been watching movies on Netflix at night; Food Inc. and Helvetica (Craig says that if you're not a designer, you might not like Helvetica). Food Inc. was about the capitalism of the food industry and how exploitative practices contaminate food and abuse animals and workers.

Friday morning we went to Marie Callender's Restaurant to have breakfast. We had a coupon and it ended up cost $12 including tip. Being that it was a weekday morning, I should have known mostly elderly people would be there, many of whom probably don't like kids. But people always look and stare, like they expect the kids to have a major meltdown any minute. Or they stare because they never saw an interracial couple with a kid before. Anyway, I don't appreciate people being all up in my grill while I am trying to eat.

For the love of collards

I made a connection with another Portland Examiner, Aqiylah Collins, who writes about holistic health. This month she is doing a series of articles to celebrate Black History Month, highlighting African-American foods. Her latest article is about the history and health benefits of collard greens and she quotes me talking about how I love my mom's collards. Mmm. I want some now, actually.

I also finally wrote my book review for the novel Push. I'm going to try to update my Cafe´au lait blog more.

Craig is doing well with his wrist, but he is getting a little tired of wearing the splint. We went to Burgerville, a Northwest burger chain, for lunch on both Monday and Tuesday, so that was fun. Today I took Gabe to storytime down the street at the cupcake shop. The weather here is lovely, clear skies and comfortably cool. I'm sure the rain will sent back in soon, but for right now it's great.

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Wrist Update and Gabe's new brush

Craig had his post surgery appointment yesterday and things seem to be progressing well. The tube was taken out of the wound and the bandages were taken off, as well. His hand was then put into a splint and re-wrapped; but the wrap can be taken off to be washed. So he will get this taken off on March 1.

Craig says his hand feels a little better every day and he can move his fingers around with no pain. His scar will definitely be a lot bigger this time, but I think our main concern is that after it fully heals, he'll be able to function normally on computer and design related activities and that the cyst will not return.

On a side note, I had to entertain Gabe for over an hour because there was a 40 minute wait in Dr. Layman's office (he seems to be pretty popular). We divided our time between being in the lobby and being on the 2nd floor, where the doctor's office was. The second floor was much better for him to explore because there were hardly any people in the hallways, while the lobby was of course quite crowded. So Gabe was great until about 5-10 minutes before Craig was done and he started getting tired and cranky.

We just received Gabe's new brush and comb set in the mail. As his hair is getting longer and thicker, the baby combs are not cutting it. I've already broken one comb trying to detangle his hair, lol. So I got the toddler Denman brush.

A Denman brush is basically a very sturdy hair tool for people who have very thick and/or coarse hair. I have an adult Denman (D3) and use that to detangle my own hair and it's a an absolute breeze (when my hair is soaking wet with conditioner, that is). So once Gabe began outgrowing his baby combs, I needed to find a similar tool for his hair. And I found it! The comb is actually attached to the brush. Can't wait to use it for his next bath.

Craig's Post Surgery Update

Craig had his surgery this past Monday and it went well. He's got his hand wrapped in bulky bandages and a tube connected to the wound to drain blood, so it looks rather dramatic. I have to change the tube every four hours, but there is significantly less blood at each changing. Today he is able to move his fingers without much pain and he hasn't needed any pain killers today. Tomorrow, he gets the dressing removed and I gather that the doctor will inspect it, etc., and then it will be re-wrapped for another 2.5 weeks. I don't know if he will have to go to the Dr. again during that time. I guess we'll find out at the appointment.

Gabriel is curious as to why he can't play with Dad like before. In fact, he seems to go through several cycles of wanting to play or be picked up by Craig, then remembering that Dad can't do that, then he moves on to something else.

So, all is well. We'll let you guys know how the appointment goes tomorrow.

February Update

This month is going to be very busy. Craig is getting surgery on his wrist February 8 to remove remnants of a ganglion cyst. I say "remnants" because the doctor aspirated it about two weeks ago, and the bump got very mushy and the pain lessened considerably. But since the ganglion tissue and the sac are still in there, the chances of it coming back are very high. So surgery is still on.

He will be off work for three weeks and during this time his wrist will be wrapped and bent forward. This means he won't be able to play with Gabriel hardly at all and won't be able to watch him alone for very long. This also means that meals will be VERY simple during this time; basically anything that can microwaved or prepped very quickly and be placed into the oven. You veteran mamas know that it is hard to do high maintenance cooking with a toddler that wants to be up under you all the time.

I also haven't written on my Cafe´au lait blog in AGES...I am working on a book review of Push by Sapphire, better known as Precious the Movie, OR better know in Carisa's head as The Movie Where Black Women are Depicted as Depraved and Insane...can you tell I didn't like the book or the movie? I'll post it when I complete it.

Oh, here are the promised Christmas pics! Just a sample, it's not all the pics I took.




William eating scones I made Christmas morning.











We got my mom some butterfly measuring spoons.


My mom got me this cool hat.


I got Craig the new Alicia Keys CD.

Happy New Year and Gabe's 18 month appt.

It has been a long time since I've done an update! With the holidays and my mom and brother visiting (plus the mutant snow storm in Philly) I've gotten slack. Sorry! :) Also, it's becoming harder to write with Gabe being more mobile and needing near constant interaction.

Gabe had his 18th month appointment on Monday and it went well. But he did not want to be checked out at all and gave us a hard time. Totally freaked and cried during the check-up, but he recovered quickly when it was over. He is a little over 22 pounds, but I cannot remember the height. He is in the 75th percentile for height and the 5th percentile for weight; that has been his pattern since he has been born, tall and lean.

We really like his pediatrician, Dr. Gibbons. She is very down to earth and knowledgeable. The practice, The Natural Childbirth and Family Clinic, is somewhat of a hike being in Northeast Portland (we are Northwest), but the next time he'll go will be at 2 yrs. and then after that, yearly, so we're okay with the distance.

Gabe's teeth seem to be stabilizing. I think the intense brushing, cod liver oil, wheat germ and getting more nutrient dense foods in him are helping. He is still picky; doesn't like eggs or meat (unless really mushed), but eventually I think he will try them.

Look for Christmas pics in a day or two! Let's see if I can do it before January is over! LOL