Fischer's Current Vocabulary--just shy of 13 mos.

Last week Wednesday (6/24) when I was fixin' to leave to have coffee with Kristy in Appleton, Fischer got to use his little _ool for the first time (we call it an ool cuz there's no Pee in it!). He was a bit apprehensive at first, but soon he was having just as much fun as he does in the bath. No wonder...all of his bathtime friends got to join him in the pool :)
What a face (below)! Joe wet Fischer's hair to cool him down, and he's not crazy about it running down his face :)

As of June 29th, 2009, Fischer can perform the following signs:

-more

-milk (this also indicates anything in a cup--juice, water, etc.)

-eat

-dog

-clapping

-rowing (for Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

-'so big' (throws his hands up in the air)

-blowing kisses (complete with lip-smacking and hand held out)

-He also gives kisses :0)

-waving bye-bye (sometimes accompanied by saying it, too)

Of the following words, the ones with an * he says right-on, and others are his (version):

*Mama

*Papa

*hi

*big

*hot

*baby (Joe wasn't too enthusiastic, but I bought Fischer a boy doll!)

bye-bye (buh-buh)

Kitty (tiddy)

up (bup)

bath (bap)

frog (bob)

milk (mick)

peek-a-boo (boo!)

moo (for cow...sounds almost more like "noo")

eyes (zyes, and indicates them on you)

He has also combined signs (more milk) and has said "buh-buh Papa" when we're saying bye-bye to Joe in the morning, and "hi tiddy" to greet cats.

Speaking of cats...we are now down to one--Schmooze (the orange and white one). I surrendered Noel at the Humane Society last night (along with a new big bag of catfood). The last straw was actually seeing her pee outside the litterbox yesterday...Joe and Fischer and I were in the basement talking about how we're going to set up our make-shift kitchen during our renovations, when Noel went sniffing around and proceeded to pee in a corner. I'm sad and we'll miss her, but we can't continue to have our things and home ruined, and at least Fischer's young enough that he won't be affected. I guess I'm most sad for Schmooze, who's lost his kitty companion... We'll be sure to give him that much more attention :) Wellie will find a new home, maybe with a sweet old lady whose lap she can curl up on and be pet all day. She is a sweet kitty, and we'll miss her.

Fischer's Walking! Age 1 year, 2 weeks!

Check out the video in the Fisch Finder--it's called "Walkin' Strawberries". It captures Fischer "officially" walking. It also shows Fischer enjoying some home-grown strawberries with Joe in our front yard.

These pics were taken Fathers Day, too. It was so hot, Fischer wiggled away from Joe during a diaper change and wanted to spend some time being nakie (holding onto his sunscreen, and trying to "pet" Schmooze).

The day before (Saturday June 20th) Fischer was with Grandma D all day (from 6 am to just after midnight) because Joe and I went with Holly and Maurice to Great America. It was HOT and walking around and standing in line took a lot out of us, but it was a fun day. It was our Fathers Day surprise for our hubbies--they had no clue! Grandma D reported that Fischer was very good for her, and she couldn't believe how much he eats! Thanks, Dorothy!

June Happenings

Now that nicer weather is finally here to stay, we've been spending more time outside! On June 10th, the Crazy Neighbors had a visitor from Indiana drop in, so we joined them for a cookout to celebrate. After all the socializing and dinner, Fischer fell asleep, clamped onto the Casperson's rattle and Cow (you may remember Cow from Fischer's b-day party pics...) On June 11th, Kristy and I met for coffee in Appleton with the kids (usually Appleton coffee nights the kids stay with their dads). On this day, though, we met during the day so we could go and see Tom Pease at the Appleton library. There was a big crowd of parents with kids of all ages between newborn and 7 or so.

Tom Pease's music is very silly and involves the audience a great deal. He was really funny, but we ended up mostly trying to keep the kids occupied, because we were there for an hour.

When the crowd clapped, Fischer clapped, too. He was ever so excited!

Last night we met for coffee in Green Bay at Kavarna on Broadway. When we were done eating, we took a stroll through the farmer's market. It was packed with people! We also ran into a lot of people we know :) While there, we saw some ladies who had two great dane dogs. A black one named Fern and a white one named Scout (after characters in the books Where the Red Fern Grows and To Kill a Mockingbird). They seemed as big as horses! They were very gentle, and the lady said it was okay for Fischer to pet Scout. Whenever he touched her head, he drew his hand back and giggled! It was so cool to see such big dogs--they were very gentle and calm.

While we were on Broadway, I stopped in at The Gift Itself (the shop where they made my unique wedding ring) to see how progress was coming along on the mother necklace charm Joe is having them make for my Mothers Day present. It looks cool so far (it's just wax right now). While I was discussing details with the lady, Fischer took off and walked clear across the store! He had walked across the entire livingroom earlier in the day for Joe, too! We'll have to try and catch it on video, but it seems he's really making a habit of walking a bit more. It will be a relief for his poor knees--crawling, especially on the sidewalk outside at daycare during recess, has been hard on his skin.

One more stop to visit with some friends, and then it was actually bedtime when we got home. But we had to have a bath, first. Even though he was exhausted, Fischer didn't forget to wave bye-bye to the water as he watched it go down the drain.

Octopus was his toy of choice to clamp onto after his bath.

All clean!

At the end of every bath, Fischer gets wrapped up in towels like a baby burrito. I even sing him a specially made-up baby burrito song.

And who can resist a good tickle session while getting diapered, lotioned up and jammied before bed! Fischer's thighs have been especially ticklish!

Night-night, everyone!

Fischer's First Birthday!!!

When Fischer spent the better part of Memorial Day weekend with Joe, we had to take his carseat out of my vehicle and put it in Joe's car. This was the beginning of Facing Forward! It's a whole new take on car travel for Fischer, and he seems no more or less excited than he was to face backward...but we like it! It no longer requires adjusting a pair of mirrors to see him...or a go-go-gadget arm to hand him something. For Fischer's party on Sunday, May 31st, we had a very nice turn-out. Although it was a little on the cool side and a tad breezy, we were able to enjoy our company and food in the back yard. It was a good mix of family and friends and even daycare friends who came to celebrate with us.
I wasn't sure how things would turn out, being that the party was from 10am to 2pm...He ended up taking a nap before the party--good thing, because he sure was a crabby patty from the moment he woke up for the day! By the time our first guests had arrived (the Enz's, of course!), Fischer was refreshed, if a little serious. He had carpet imprints on his face, as his nap was taken on the livingroom floor :)

Above are Kristy and Flora Enz watching as Fischer and I unwrapped his first present of the day.

Just shy of 5 months old, little Leo Enz poses with Mom Kristy and their exchange student, Saleema.

It seems as though Fischer has been more apt to choose objects to hang onto for lengths of time as a 'side-effect' of ending our nursing relationship. Some kids have blankies or teddy bears...Fischer's object of choice during his party was a little plastic cow. Above he's blowing kisses with his cow firmly in his grasp.

Kayla Schroeder, one of our daycare friends, helped Fischer figure out how to use the present her family brought.

Above are Matt, Kayla (age 4), Stacy and Logan (age 2 1/2) Schroeder, and Flora (age 2) and Tom Enz.

Fischer loved the little lawn chair that the crazy neighbors got him. Taylor Casperson (age 12) looks on to be sure he doesn't tip.

2nd cousin Kaylee (age 1 1/2) came to play for a little while. Her "hottie" aunt, Katie, graduated from high school June 7th.

Above, you see the favorite gumball toy Fischer clamped onto after he was done with his cow.

After the candle was lit and "Happy Birthday" was sung by all, it was time for CAKE! Fischer's first taste came from the little bit he got to lick from the bottom of his candle. "Mmm, Mmm, Mmm" was all he said until he got his own piece in front of him to enjoy. Yep, the boy loves cake :). There's a video on the Fisch Finder of him eating his cake.

After everyone ate, the party began to wind down. When it was pretty much just us and the crazy neighbors again, AND when his sugar buzz was wearing off, Fischer went down for his second nap. It couldn't have worked out better for our boy! Thanks, everyone, for coming to celebrate with us, bringing yummy eats, and fun presents. It was an awesome first birthday!

On Fischer's actual birthday, Weds. June 3rd, he woke up with a little cold--I wonder if it wasn't a little allergy attack or this wishy-washy weather?! We brought cupcakes to daycare and he was sung to again there. This time he could see the candle better and the wind didn't blow it out on him (Mom did). There's a Fisch Finder video of this, too.

It was a big week for Fischer, too, because he began visiting the 1-year-old room at daycare. We will miss his baby teachers, but know that it's time he 'graduated' to the next room. Fischer is now officially on a one-nap schedule. The trick is staying awake to eat lunch! Sometimes he's just too tired to eat a good lunch. However, he does seem to nap pretty well on his cot--in fact, when he goes down about 11:30 or so, his teachers often have to coax him awake at "lights on" at 2:30! Atta boy!

Being a mom to a 1-year-old doesn't seem to feel too different...I am still waiting for my body to adjust to not nursing. It's getting better every day, though. Fischer, on the other hand, has his random security objects (cow, Little People bus driver, rattling gumball ball, etc.) that he clamps onto, and he has become incredibly whiney compared to what he's ever been before. I don't know if I'm looking for differences with the end of nursing, or if Fischer would've exhibited these behaviors regardless of this change...Maybe it's just that he's growing and changing so much you could almost watch it happen, and that much growth and development has to be uncomfortable physically! In any case, I'm sure to give him lots and lots of extra hugs and reassurance, and we play every night after supper until it's time for bath and bedtime.

This past Friday at Fischer's one year checkup, Dr. Hoyer was just melted by his throaty "hi". Fischer is 30 1/2 inches long (75th percentile), has a head circumference of 47 cm (75th percentile) and is 20 lbs. 8 oz. (10-25th percentile). So he's a bit on the light side, but to look at him, he looks just proportionately perfect. Joe said he and his brothers were all light-weights growing up.

Fischer got 2 shots--OUCH--and a hand x-ray. Joe and I have been keeping an eye on his right pinky finger basically since birth. It curves toward his ring finger, and he tends to keep it bent when he reaches for and holds things. It doesn't hurt him to straighten it, and he can straighten it, but we wondered if there was anything to be concerned about. Dr. Hoyer said some long name for "the curving/curling of the 5th digit", and said that since the x-rays didn't show any bone or other abnormalities, that it was just a cosmetic issue. So, I think we'll continue to make sure his pinky doesn't hinder him in any way, and will otherwise chalk it up to one more way he's our unique little man.