Sunday, August 22, 2010
The water park in Oxford
At Oxford Lake, there is a little water park for kids to play in. We took Owen there today...a beautiful Sunday here in Alabama. We thought we would just run up there, let him get wet and walk around for a little bit and then head home. We figured he wouldn't last long....boy were we wrong! He LOVED it. He enjoyed watching the bigger kids do their thing, but he would also run through all the water spouts. He seemed to really enjoyed himself. Dad took one for the team and got soaked right along with Owen!
No pants!!
Since it is summer time, we often let Owen walk around with no pants on...mainly after he eats dinner and before his bath. Now that he is walking all over the place, we love seeing his chunky little thighs in action!
Owen LOVES the camera....and he tends to get pretty excited when he sees it
Owen LOVES the camera....and he tends to get pretty excited when he sees it
Activity Table
Owen still loves his "Bright Starts Around-we-go" activity table. We removed the seat several months ago (when he started pulling up), but he still bellies up to the table to play the piano or munch on one of the teethers. We also place snacks in the little tray....and then he really bellies up to it to eat! We have to watch both Owen and Nash closely, as Owen wants to walk with his food and Nash wants to eat Owen's food.
You can see here that Owen loves animal crackers!!!
You can see here that Owen loves animal crackers!!!
Leap Frog Fridge Magnet Animal Farm
One of Owen's favorite birthday toys (from the Johnston's) is the Leap Frog Fridge Magnet Animal Farm. It consists of ten magnets...five have animal 'fronts' on them, and the other five have the matching animal 'backs'. You can make up to 25 combinations with the puzzle, and it can be played with on the refrigerator or floor. When two matching pieces are inserted into the farm, a cheerful electronic voice says the animal name. If the pieces mismatch, the toy creates a silly name for that animal. Matches are positively reinforced and the toy makes mismatches seem funny rather than wrong. When set to music mode, Farmer
Tad plays five banjo tunes for a real barnyard hoe-down.
Mom and Dad like making matches (or mis-matches) and Owen enjoys pulling all the pieces off the fridge and throwing them on the floor. Someday he will enjoy it as intended!!!
Tad plays five banjo tunes for a real barnyard hoe-down.
Mom and Dad like making matches (or mis-matches) and Owen enjoys pulling all the pieces off the fridge and throwing them on the floor. Someday he will enjoy it as intended!!!
Water Play at school
Back in July, Owen moved up a class at daycare (to the transition room (transition between being a baby and being a toddler)). That meant that he could play with the big kids on Friday during "water play". Basically, the school set out baby pools and sprinklers and let the kids get wet!
Here was Owen on his first day of Water Play! Everyday is our CAPTAIN AWESOME!!!
Here was Owen on his first day of Water Play! Everyday is our CAPTAIN AWESOME!!!
Baby Keller
The same weekend that we went blueberry picking, we went out to Oxford Lake and got to meet Baby Keller Murray. He was so calm and seemed to enjoy being outside. His older two sisters and brother were definitely enjoying the park!
Blueberry Pickin'!!!
This is a catch-up post....
Almost one month ago, we went blueberry picking! We went to Craft's Blueberry Farm and enjoyed some early morning pickin'. Together, Mom and Dad picked one gallon of blueberries (and paid $6 for them!!!!), while Owen ate a few along the way. It was a warm day already, so we were glad to get home and wash/cook/process the berries for puree. Owen now eats blueberry yogurt several times a week.
Here is a picture of Owen and Daddy picking blueberries.
Almost one month ago, we went blueberry picking! We went to Craft's Blueberry Farm and enjoyed some early morning pickin'. Together, Mom and Dad picked one gallon of blueberries (and paid $6 for them!!!!), while Owen ate a few along the way. It was a warm day already, so we were glad to get home and wash/cook/process the berries for puree. Owen now eats blueberry yogurt several times a week.
Here is a picture of Owen and Daddy picking blueberries.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Transitions
It has been awhile since I wrote. We've just been busy at the McReynolds' house (much like everyone else) and I have not found the time to blog.
Owen has probably had the busiest time of all. He has been through SO many transitions for a little dude, but is adapting so well. First, he turned one and at his one-year check up with the pediatrician, I was told to take away his bottle and have him drink from a cup. I clarified with the doctor, thinking she meant sippy cup....but no....she wants him to drink from a real cup. YIKES! I knew for a fact that daycare would not be able to meet that request and that it would be a mess at home if we tried to go straight from a bottle to a cup. The end result....Owen is now drinking from a sippy cup during the day, but he still gets a full bottle of milk in the mornings and at night before bed. It is really the only time that I can get a lot of milk in him. Slowly, I will take those away and have him drink from his sippy cup...but in the meantime I am not going to worry about it.
Shortly after Owen's first birthday, we got the word that Owen would be moving into the next room at daycare. This meant that he was 'graduating' from the baby room and going into a toddler room. Great news! The new room had its own schedule and therefore, daycare would not follow our dictated schedule for Owen any longer. I was fine with this, and wanted to match the new schedule at home. The biggest difference - the kids all napped at the same time and only once a day. The first weekend we did this at home, Owen napped for three hours (from 11am until 2pm). We were amazed. And the first day in his new room at daycare, he slept for over two hours. It helps that at school, all the kids go down at the same time now. In the baby room, everyone had different schedules, so of course Owen would rather be playing with his friends than napping! Less than two weeks in the new room passed and last Wednesday we got word that Owen would be moving yet again at daycare!!! This time, he will be going into a room where they nap on cots. We are a little nervous about how that will go, since he still rolls around and changes direction in his crib while he sleeps. We had to get him a nap roll. One of Clint's cousins (Rebecca Rhodes Franklin) sells nap rolls through her company called Boutique Designs and does a fabulous job embroidering them. So, we purchased one from her and we should get it tomorrow...just in time for Owen to start in his new classroom. The nap roll is made by a company called Mint.
Here is a picture of the nap roll we are getting:
Owen's name will be embroidered in Hunter Orange! :)
We are also starting to transition towards Owen self feeding himself. Of course he has been eating puffs, Gerber biscuits and animal crackers for awhile on his own....but he needs to start eating more chunked-up veggies, fruit and meat. So far, we have not had a lot of luck with many of the conventional foods that little kids like. We find it somewhat odd, but Owen throws banana, cheese and chicken on the floor. He has had all three in pureed form and has loved them....so maybe it is a texture thing? Owen also has no portion control whatsoever. I am sure he is not unique in this...but whatever is on his tray in front of him goes in his mouth. Then when he mouth gets too full, he spits everything out. What a mess! We are certainly learning A LOT from Owen these days!
Owen has also been walking since right around his first birthday. He is getting stronger and stronger by the day! He still loves to push his walking toy and Pooh Train around....but for the most part he walks on his own to get around. Owen also now loves to walk around outside on the grass. He always finds the driveway though and does not like his hand held (we're worried that he will fall and skin some knees since he hasn't quite figured out how to walk slowly down hill yet). It is interesting to see his desire and determination to be independent.
Owen has probably had the busiest time of all. He has been through SO many transitions for a little dude, but is adapting so well. First, he turned one and at his one-year check up with the pediatrician, I was told to take away his bottle and have him drink from a cup. I clarified with the doctor, thinking she meant sippy cup....but no....she wants him to drink from a real cup. YIKES! I knew for a fact that daycare would not be able to meet that request and that it would be a mess at home if we tried to go straight from a bottle to a cup. The end result....Owen is now drinking from a sippy cup during the day, but he still gets a full bottle of milk in the mornings and at night before bed. It is really the only time that I can get a lot of milk in him. Slowly, I will take those away and have him drink from his sippy cup...but in the meantime I am not going to worry about it.
Shortly after Owen's first birthday, we got the word that Owen would be moving into the next room at daycare. This meant that he was 'graduating' from the baby room and going into a toddler room. Great news! The new room had its own schedule and therefore, daycare would not follow our dictated schedule for Owen any longer. I was fine with this, and wanted to match the new schedule at home. The biggest difference - the kids all napped at the same time and only once a day. The first weekend we did this at home, Owen napped for three hours (from 11am until 2pm). We were amazed. And the first day in his new room at daycare, he slept for over two hours. It helps that at school, all the kids go down at the same time now. In the baby room, everyone had different schedules, so of course Owen would rather be playing with his friends than napping! Less than two weeks in the new room passed and last Wednesday we got word that Owen would be moving yet again at daycare!!! This time, he will be going into a room where they nap on cots. We are a little nervous about how that will go, since he still rolls around and changes direction in his crib while he sleeps. We had to get him a nap roll. One of Clint's cousins (Rebecca Rhodes Franklin) sells nap rolls through her company called Boutique Designs and does a fabulous job embroidering them. So, we purchased one from her and we should get it tomorrow...just in time for Owen to start in his new classroom. The nap roll is made by a company called Mint.
Here is a picture of the nap roll we are getting:
Owen's name will be embroidered in Hunter Orange! :)
We are also starting to transition towards Owen self feeding himself. Of course he has been eating puffs, Gerber biscuits and animal crackers for awhile on his own....but he needs to start eating more chunked-up veggies, fruit and meat. So far, we have not had a lot of luck with many of the conventional foods that little kids like. We find it somewhat odd, but Owen throws banana, cheese and chicken on the floor. He has had all three in pureed form and has loved them....so maybe it is a texture thing? Owen also has no portion control whatsoever. I am sure he is not unique in this...but whatever is on his tray in front of him goes in his mouth. Then when he mouth gets too full, he spits everything out. What a mess! We are certainly learning A LOT from Owen these days!
Owen has also been walking since right around his first birthday. He is getting stronger and stronger by the day! He still loves to push his walking toy and Pooh Train around....but for the most part he walks on his own to get around. Owen also now loves to walk around outside on the grass. He always finds the driveway though and does not like his hand held (we're worried that he will fall and skin some knees since he hasn't quite figured out how to walk slowly down hill yet). It is interesting to see his desire and determination to be independent.
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