The Eye Appointment That Never Happened

Wednesday morning Oliver and I headed to his eye doctor appointment. I dressed him in a cute outfit his Nana picked out for him over the weekend, along with a new pair if shoes found on clearance at Target. We were on time and ready to meet Dr. P. 

There were other kids in the waiting room so Oliver joined them in playing while I sat my mega mommy bag on a chair. Just as I began to sit down myself, Oliver ran toward the chair next me (can you see where this is going yet?). He then tripped over his new shoes, falling mouth-first onto the edge of the chair. Once the bleeding eased I could see that there was a large, deep gash inside his lower lip. Long story short, the staff were a huge help and kindly rescheduled our appointment. We headed home and have been hanging out since. 

Yesterday he was in pain and it was a little swollen. He let us brush (most) of his teeth and he rinsed with saltwater. Today it is very swollen and seems to be bothering him a lot. No looking at it, brushing teeth, rinsing, etc. Poor guy. I really hope this heals as quickly as everyone says a mouth injury will heal. Here's a photo from today:

So we are laying low, eating ice cream and whatever else wants, and watching more TV than usual. And those unflexible clearance shoes? In the trash. 

Life is Full of Disappointments

Today at Costco Oliver saw something on a high shelf he just had to have: 

Instead he got this book: 

Here's my favorite page: 

He was pretty upset to have to leave the corvette. Yes, I'm a terrible mother, at least in his eyes (case in point: I didn't put him in the car cart at Lowes. He let me know how unhappy he was for the full 15 minutes we were shopping). Life can be so disappointing!

Dedication Sunday and More

Sunday morning Oliver was dedicated at our church (we believe in baptism when the child or adult is old enough to make that commitment for themselves). We stood up on the stage and vowed to raise Oliver in a loving Christian environment. The congregation vowed to support us in our journey. It was a special moment and we are glad we were able to take part. Tony's parents celebrated with us and we enjoyed brunch at our house afterwards. We even made a cake for the occasion -- and Oliver chose sprinkles for the topping! I didn't get a picture of him eating the cake, but you can imagine how messy it got! Here's a before photo.

After last week's tooth extraction, breaking Oliver of his bottle habit became more of a priority. We weren't able to switch him to water (he'd hand it back and demand milk). We couldn't wipe out his mouth after he fell asleep either, as he'd always wake up. So that left us with ending the bottle habit altogether. I put together a plan of attack and steeled myself for a multi-day battle. Shockingly, it wasn't needed! We've been bottle free since Friday afternoon and he doesn't seem too bothered. It's pretty wonderful to have something work out so smoothly, and for him not to struggle with the change. 

In addition, I've spent the last two nights back in my own bed. No more floor! Oliver hasn't grasped the idea of coming into our room to wake me up (he's ultra stealthy when he wakes up), but I discovered him asleep on the couch. Not great but not terrible. And I am so appreciative of he soft and warm bed! 

To close us out, here's a picture taken today after his haircut. They give out little prizes and he was so happy to get a pair of star sunglasses. What a cutie! 

Our Brave Little Boy

What a week we've had so far. Monday kicked off with an 8:15 appointment at the pediatric dentist. Unfortunately we learned last week that his front tooth was too far gone to repair and so he had to have it pulled. Poor guy! The procedure lasted five or six minutes -- the dentist and her staff are well versed in working with little ones and did an excellent job. He sat in my lap with his head in her lap. I had to hold his hands still and as soon as they finished he popped up so I could hold him. While the procedure was pretty rough (lots of crying and screaming), he actually did really well and allowed her to do her work. Within 45 seconds of sitting up, he was all smiles as he picked out a toy from them and checked out his Cars watch Daddy and I had gotten for him as a surprise. We were home by 9:00 and he was eating ice cream (from the dentist), happy as a clam. While eating has been a little more difficult, and he had some pain on and off, he generally bounced back from the procedure at warp speed. Amazing! 

Tuesday night was the first time we've left Oliver with anyone. Scary!! Tony and I had to meet with a possible CPA to discuss our now-complicated 2013 tax return, so we left Oliver with Grandma and Grandpa. We were a little nervous if he would get confused or worried about us returning, but he did great (and the CPA is a winner too). If only our first time away together was for something a bit more fun! We are so glad he enjoys spending time with his Grandparents; that's a true blessing.

Wednesday morning a friend of mine kindly made the trek to our house for a little play date. Her daughter is so sweet and caring...quite and cute. I had high hopes for a fun play date and time for the Mommies to catch up, but it wasn't to be. Oliver struggled to share, lashed out some at our lovely guest, and brought his true two and a half year old self with a few full on tantrums. The play date ended a little earlier than we would have probably all liked, but it seemed to end on a positive note. I'd say this is the first time I've been a little embarrassed by Oliver's behavior...though my friend was gracious, understanding and very kind. Hopefully future play dates prove to be a little nicer.

Today (Thursday) brought two vaccines. He was not at all happy. He didn't bounce back the way he did after the dental procedure, and actually seems to have more discomfort from the shots than the tooth being pulled. He was once again rewarded for his bravery with an ice cream treat (conveniently located across the street from the clinic), something he really enjoys. He wanted me to snap a picture of him and Simba (who is also sporting band-aids on each leg like Oliver, as Simba came to the appointment with us), but wouldn't smile when I took them. Here's one of the pictures:

The week isn't over yet though! We have a play date tomorrow morning and he is being dedicated at our church on Sunday. He's a busy guy! Of course he does sleep every now and again...doesn't he look like an angel?

Outside of appointments and play, his vocabulary is exploding. He can understand a lot more of what we say now (selective hearing aside), and he's regularly using words such as more, sock, truck, bed, book. He seems to be trying to count and say love you (when he's saying goodbye to Tony in the morning). He's learning concepts like "this stays on the tile" or "help Mom do xyz". He's also trying to do somersaults and hopping. It's pretty neat to see him learn! And we still get lots of giggles, and they still warm our hearts.