I always think of them as 'heat bugs' because they're the ones that buzz their song when it's so hot out.
Ohhhh!
Uncle Nate was here the past two weekends plus a couple of weekdays to get our drywall hung and mudded and taped. He'll be back the last weekend of Sept. to finish the final coat of mud and hopefully have time, too, to sand it all smooth. He's a perfectionist with his work, so we'll have the best quality work hands down! Nate brought his big puppy Dozer along.
Dozer spent most of his time tied to a big tree in our yard or chillin' in Nate's big truck. He complained here and there with wimpers when he could see Nate, but otherwise you wouldn't know he was there. Also, other than getting a little excited now and then, he was really good around Fischer (though we NEVER left them unattended or too close!).
On Sept. 8, Fischer had his 15 month well-check with Dr. Hoyer.
We did what we could to pass the time until she came to examine him. When he was weighed this time, he didn't have to lay in the baby scale! He got to stand on a scale on the floor--what a big boy! He weighed 22 pounds 4 ounces, which is consistent with the percentiles he's had so far with weight.
He's 32 inches "long", which is also consistent with his previous pattern of growth. According to where he is on the charts, he's thin for his height, just like how his dad grew.
Fischer's head circumference was also consistent with his previous percentiles (though I don't have the figures in front of me). Dr. Hoyer was impressed to learn that Fischer's working on FIVE, yes 5 new teeth right now. You heard about the top eye-teeth and top two molars....well, the most recent discovery is his bottom left eye-tooth poking through the surface! He's had his fingers in his mouth like crazy, and is chewing on more things than he used to. Otherwise, he usually wakes once per night, but it's getting easier for him to soothe himself--he usually hits the button on his crib soother that has soft lights, cricket sounds, and night-time music. On 9-9-09 we went to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time to celebrate Scott & Donna's granddaughter Lotus' 1st birthday. When we walked in, we paused for a moment to let Fischer take it all in--it's a busy place! He seemed a little overwhelmed at first, and didn't want Joe to put him down.
When we met everyone at the back of the place where the party was going on, we saw Lotus and got to say hi to everyone. It wasn't long before a big curtain opened and a robotically animated Chuck E. Cheese began singing and "dancing".
Fischer FREAKED OUT and grasped even tighter onto Papa!!! He wouldn't stop screaming and hanging on for dear life until we walked far away from the huge scary robotic mouse! I couldn't blame him :( Check out his grip on Joe's shirt (pretty sure he's got some of Joe's skin in there, too).
After he was more recovered from the terror of the mouse, Fischer got into the lights and sounds and sights of all of those arcade games. We had a handful of tokens, so we tried several different machines. Fischer wasn't particular, so we tried to show him ones that were on his level or had buttons or levers he could operate.
He had fun on a driving game with me, and seemed really into it. In fact, while I drove, he kept hitting the nitro-boost--he seemed to have a need for speed! But then when we crashed, he cried :( 
Like a good helper, Fischer tried to put tokens into the machines.
Approaching time for the pizza dinner (I had packed some other Fischer-friendly foods for a healthy meal, as well), I thought poor Fischer wouldn't be able to eat if we were to see the big mouse again. So I asked the manager if she could keep the curtain closed on the stage for half an hour while we all ate. I explained that my son was terrified of the mouse, and that we were here with a birthday party (Lotus and her guests were the only party in the area at the time). I told her I felt Fischer was too young for the place, but we were only there to celebrate with Lotus and her family. The manager was stubborn and said, "You have to understand that people come to Chuck E. Cheese to see Chuck E." I told her that the people with Lotus' party were the only ones over there, and that I didn't think half an hour was an unreasonable request. I asked her if she had kids (yes) and what she would do in my shoes. She said, "I'd sit on the other side of the restaurant." I told her that we wouldn't even BE there if it weren't for this party. I was feeling very frustrated at this point and told her that I work in customer service, that I'm a manager myself, and that I felt that the customer service I was getting from her was poor.In the meanwhile, Donna and Joe worked something out so that Fischer's highchair could be put on the end of a booth table with the gift table behind him so he wouldn't see the terrifying mouse. A little while before this solution was worked out, as I was sitting there with Fischer feeling conflicted (I wanted to leave because I didn't want Fischer to continue to be upset but I wanted us to celebrate with Lotus and her family...) the manager came back up to me and said, "Oh, I didn't know you were with this birthday party." I thought that this was the most ridiculous thing she could've said, considering I'd repeated that info over and over! I said (maybe a bit too loudly), "Yes! That's what I've been telling you from the beginning. You checked us in, and we told you we were with the party, and during our previous conversation I must've mentioned that at least twice!" She said she could shut the curtain, and that if it opened for some reason, she'd come over right away and shut it again. I said that that was all I was asking for from the beginning. She also said, "But you should know that the 'real' Chuck E. will be coming out to sing happy birthday."
Fischer was "dancing" in his highchair, with the gifts behind him blocking his view, and he didn't get upset when the dang curtain opened anyway and the stupid mouse was at it again. The manager did come over to close it, after a couple of minutes and with a roll of her eyes. Lotus didn't seem to mind Chuck E. Cheese when he came out and did his gig. She did start to get a little upset because she didn't want to wear her crown, though. 
Since Fischer's been getting antsy in the cart when we grocery shop, but refuses to walk with me, yet, I tried one of these fun car carts when we went this weekend.
He had a good time with it, saying "beep" and pushing the squeaking horns in the middle of the steering wheels. He only started to get upset when we were wrapping up at the check-out. Good boy!
So cute! All the way through the store, too, or when we're walking around the neighborhood, he says "hi, hi, hi" to everyone we pass :)
Fischer was "dancing" in his highchair, with the gifts behind him blocking his view, and he didn't get upset when the dang curtain opened anyway and the stupid mouse was at it again. The manager did come over to close it, after a couple of minutes and with a roll of her eyes. Lotus didn't seem to mind Chuck E. Cheese when he came out and did his gig. She did start to get a little upset because she didn't want to wear her crown, though.Fischer warmed up to the arcade part of the place and was excited and pumping his arms up and down and having fun seeing all of the games. Hmmm...I wonder if a piece of birthday cake and some Sprite had anything to do with that?
We got home late and he was in the bath at about 9:00 (usually his bath's at 7:30!). That's when I made a video of him saying "yellow" (l-l-l-low-low). Check it out on the Fisch Finder--super cute! Fischer has also begun saying "down" (when he used to use "up" to mean both up and down). It sounds like "duh" or with an emphasized "ow" sound in the middle "dOWn".
Since Fischer's been getting antsy in the cart when we grocery shop, but refuses to walk with me, yet, I tried one of these fun car carts when we went this weekend.
He had a good time with it, saying "beep" and pushing the squeaking horns in the middle of the steering wheels. He only started to get upset when we were wrapping up at the check-out. Good boy!
So cute! All the way through the store, too, or when we're walking around the neighborhood, he says "hi, hi, hi" to everyone we pass :)Our kitchen project is getting ever-closer to completion. I mentioned where the drywall process is. We have officially decided on cupboards by Distinctive Cabinets, a dad from daycare builds and installs them. We feel we'll be MUCH happier with the quality compared to Home Depot, and the price was less! Brian also offered us even more creative and practical ideas to make the best of our space. It's going to be great! Flooring, counter top, and paint colors have been decided upon. Just have to pick out lighting, and I'm sure other details will crop up as well. We'll keep you posted!
