First Blood Draw

I took Roan to get his lead level tested. It's just a routine thing (we get a $10 Meijer gift card for doing it). I thought it was just going to be a finger prick. Had I known it was a full-fledged blood draw, I would have waited until he's over this cold or whatever (not sure if it's a cold or another tooth).

I don't think the lab tech believed me when I said Roan was strong. The nurses have always commented on how strong he is when he gets his shots. He said "Well, I'll just take a look at him first." So he had me sit in the chair and squeezed Roan's arm so he could feel his veins. Like his mamma, he's got good veins. He said "Ya know what, I can tell he's strong, so I'm gonna get someone to help me."

Told ya so.

Obviously, Roan cried. But like his shots, he was over it quickly, talking about "stars" and "dadda".

Plus, he got a cool Band-Aid! He liked it so much, I bought a box at Meijer. I realized that we didn't have any "cool" Band-Aids at home, haha.

He's so close to having to move up to the next car seat!

I made my first post on my "personal" blog (<--link). God's been doing some cool things in Sean & I's marriage and I wanted to share.

I'm off to clean  nap while Roan is napping (napping < cleaning).

12 [13] Month Check Up!

Here's where Roan is at! :

Weight: 23lb 8oz putting him in the 56th percentile

Height: 30.5'' putting him in the 60th percentile

Head circumference: 48cm putting him in the 85th percentile!! He's always been in the 80-something percentile for this except at 8 months he was in the 75th, haha. Big ol' noggin.

He had 4 shots. He cried, obviously, but I held him for a minute or so and he was back to talking...well, whimper-talking, but still. He took it like a champ, like he has every time.

Waiting for the doctor this time was very different than before! He just had to be on the floor, walking around and exploring. It is quite the task to keep him from things he shouldn't play with. He is just so curious!

Here's a picture of Roan and dadda while we were waiting for the doctor...making [inside-voice] noises!

He still has yet to call me "mamma". A lot of things are "dadda" now, but he still consistently calls Sean that...while smiling. I keep telling myself that one day "mamma" is all I will hear and I will reminisce about the days when he just wouldn't say it and I wanted him to so badly.

He keeps adding words to his vocabulary...and he's not just mimicking the sounds. He will point to the object and say the right word. Bush, bus (he now says that even when he hears one drive by while he's eating lunch or dinner), shoes, and car(s) to name a few. Some problematic things: every baby is "Roro" (Roan) and I think "clock" is becoming "kaka" (which, in Spanish, means something bad, if you don't know). *sigh*

I still have moments where I kinda freak out...realizing he's a toddler. Like today: watching him walk around in his toddler shoes, jeans, and coat. The last time he wore a coat he was, oh, 7 or 8 months old. Something about seeing him in a coat...it's weird how stuff hits you like that.

I think I'm going to start a personal blog again and my first post is going to be about something really cool that God has been doing in Sean & I's marriage. So I will be posting the link to that on Facebook.

Stud Muffin

My studly boy at Ty (my cousin) and Angelina's wedding: 

I also uploaded a video of him dancing at the wedding to Facebook.


In other news, this book is a fantastic read for parents. 

I'm on chapter 6. I really like most of the views the French have on parenting - and certainly pregnancy. As I understand it so far: teaching independence, patience, and autonomy, while still being a loving, nurturing parent. I won't say for sure if I recommend it until I finish it, but as of right now, I'd say this book is on it's way to being recommend-able.

One of my favorite quotes:

In France, the way you give birth doesn't situate you within a value system or define the sort of parent you'll be. It is, for the most part, a way of getting your baby safely from your uterus into your arms.

I have highlighted something on almost every single page.

Koi Fish? Maybe Not, Mamma.

Roan is such a funny boy. He gets his hands dirty and looks at them like "What is this?! I want it off!" then wipes his hand in the grass, which rarely ever really helps very much. He also looks at his hands like that at least once during meals when they've got food on them.

He's so hesitant about new things sometimes. Pretty much any animal other than dogs and cats.

Friends of ours have koi fish in their pond. After taking their little girl's 12 month pictures (some of which involved her putting her feet in the pond), I decided to see what would happen if I did that with Roan. He did like the koi fish at first, as you can kind of tell by the pictures, but after one of them broke the surface, making the teeniest splash, he didn't like it.

My friend, Holly, used my camera:

Apprehensive...

Wondering what it feels like...

Hm, this isn't so bad....

Nope, don't like it anymore. And I'm trying to show him that it's ok :)