Saturday, December 11, 2010

"Look at those Healthy Cheeks!"

Said the Doctor at Ty's 4-month check-up earlier this week.  Healthy is right: Ty weighed 16 lbs. 9 oz. (72%) and measured 26 3/4 inches (92%).  His head is a very normal 49%.  Needless to say, more than his cheeks give away how healthy he is!  Ty's had some dry patches of skin and lots of little bumps on his tummy and the dr. said that this was a bit of eczema.  Not that this is good news, but it's easily treatable with a routine rubbing of moisturizer and Hydrocortizone cream on trouble spots.  Truth be told, I looked up eczema on wikipedia to get a little more information and under Cause it read, "The hygiene hypothesis postulates that the cause of asthma, eczema and other allergic diseases, is an unusually clean environment."  Now, weather we go along with the hypothesis or not is still up in the air, but I really don't need another excuse not to clean more often.

Back at the ranch, Ty is a healthy boy and for this we are happy.  Due to the fact we're switching insurance, he was able to evade his 4-month shots, but he'll get them in a few weeks.  He's a drool bucket and wets his bibs, shirts, hands, etc. and likes to gnaw on stuff like hands of others, whatever clothes or blankets he can reach, and his froggy pacifier's feet, hands, and bum.  Teeth shouldn't have too much trouble coming in the way he chews and drools.  The dr. talked about starting food and I KNOW Ty was paying attention to this because it seems like since then he watches Russell and I eat and whines because he's not getting any food.  Tonight, for example, he was playing on his play mat while we ate.  He kept whining, so I eventually picked him up and ate one-handed.  (Wait--isn't that how most people eat, anyway?)  He was staring down my chicken and rice!  We were tempted to give him his Christmas present of rice cereal, bowls, and spoons early, but didn't.  I think he'll get it and start eating sometime next week when we're at my parents' house.  Obviously, he's ready.

There's really not much to complain about with this Ty guy, but recently HE's found something to complain about to us: getting dressed.  Even if he's happy before getting undressed, as soon as the onesie comes up near his head, he starts fussing.  If we let him be nakie for a bit he's happy, but as soon as clothes start getting put on, he's mad again and will stiff-arm us.  What the heck?  Maybe he doesn't like getting his clothes on, but I know he is a fan of more "physical playing," I guess you could say.  You know, stuff like swinging around or bouncing or being gently tossed/placed in the big green pillow (for those of you who have not visited, I mean the monstersack/luvsac/bean bag thing) is super fun to him.  He also has learned to squeal and will do this when he's playing by himself.  He still doesn't like tummy time and will often end it early by spitting up and, because we're not mean parents, we don't make him go face-down in his own yak.  Oh, and he's ticklish!  He laughs when you tickle his feet, neck, tummy (sometimes) and armpitties.  We really like him and are SO excited to be going to Darrington and Fairfield so others can see him, too!   Now, please enjoy some pictures.   

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a cuddler.  It's true.
 Swinging at the park in the beautiful weather.  Check out those awesome swings!  Very comfy.
 More bundled than he needed to be, but how cute is that hat and binky smile? Very.
 Ty was begging for some food while Russell and I were eating salad, so I let him lick a dry piece of lettuce.  Verdict: he loved it.
 Sometimes he'll hold his own bottle.  I have no idea what kind of look that is...
 He is (generally) so good about being in his stroller and smiling at people, looking around, and talking to himself when we're out and about.  Here we were at the Venetian getting something from a gift shop.  Even though we didn't even go in any gambling areas (and the Venetian is gorgeous), there's something weird about taking a baby into a casino.
 Watching the BYU game at a sports restaurant.  At first, Ty loved seeing all of the football games on the dozens of screens, but it got a little overwhelming and he got tired, but couldn't fall asleep and got real cranky. Plus, BYU lost, but that's another story.
 Cute.  Love this sweater on him, too!  By the way, he was wearing pants, not shorts with tall socks, but he likes to pull on his clothing and make his pants into shorts.
 Mysterious Ty...Or just a baby who likes to pull blankets up to his face so he can chew on them.  Sometimes we have lessons on how to pull blankets off of your face.
 Hanging around.  Whether in this wrap thing or in a sling (thanks Mimi), he likes to be able to look around and be part of the action, but still be close to someone like a mommy or dad.
Ty's excited to see lots of people this Christmas/wedding time, too!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Two-Timing

Ty had another (see Oct. 17th post) encounter with a lady yesterday, little Anita from church.  Here's the story as told by Ty:

"Apparently Anita can read, so she saw my bib and came over to get herself a piece of my drooly goodness.
 "Yee-ah.  You like what you see, huh girl?
 "Wait...Anita, you're a nice girl and all, but, uh, see there's this other nice girl, Addie, and uh...wait--where are you taking me?!
 "Save me, Dad!  Oh, and don't tell Addie.
 "What? It's not my fault--my mom dressed me.  False advertising."

Funny thing is, Anita is twice Ty's age, but smaller than him.  Is it wrong that I chronicle/make up Ty's love life?

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Veteran's Day Weekend

We took advantage of Russell's 4-day weekend and drove the 300 miles to San Clemente, CA to hang out with Tina, Hunter, and Soren.  We had a fun time!

Tina and wiggly Soren. He's so funny/talkative/2!
 Perspective is a little off since they look the same size, but Soren kept climbing in Ty's "castle" with him.  We had to protect beebee Ty from accidental kicks and swats to the face.  :)
 Whenever Ty was crying, Soren would find and bring the "froggy with a binky on his head" and stick in Ty's mouth. Sometimes it even worked!  He's going to be a good big brother someday.
 At Mosun sushi and seafood place.  (Wow--the flash really worked because we were sitting in very dim lighting.)  The food was fabulous and Ty slept the whole time.
 Cousin bath!
 Check out those (almost) matching jammies!
 Sweet.  (I wish my big face wasn't in this.)
 Again trying to be nice, Soren brought Ty his Bambi, Mickey, and Eeyore to play with.  A bit much, but apparently, he likes 'em!
 
What you see: family picture.  What you don't see: Ty's clothes are pee-soaked (see previous post), Russell's pants are wet in a very suspicious spot.  And yet we smile through it.  :)
 
It's nice to have some family not too far away.  Thanks for letting us come, guys!

3 1/2 months: Alive and Well.

Time for a Ty update!  Russell and I are very lucky that Ty is such a good baby. Of course, I haven't had any others, so I don't know what a 24/7 "bad" baby is, but we really like our little guy.  Here are some of his current favorites:

-Grabbing his hands, toys, blankets, etc. and putting them in his mouth.  While we were out to lunch last week, Ty grabbed a loaded nacho chip off of the plate and dumped it on himself!
-Drool-bombing and spitting=many wet onesies up top
-EATING.  Anyone who's been around Ty at meal time knows that this kid is adamant about his food.  He wants it and will yell-scream to let you know it.  0 to loud in a matter of seconds!  At least he lets us know, right?
-Carrying on conversations.  He seems to think it's funny when you repeat what he "says" and his vocabulary of coo's is getting quite varied!
-Keeping his parents on their toes about his potty habits.  He'll go for days (5 is his record) without pooping, but overflow wet diapers very quickly.  We just never know what to expect.
-Playing.  Ty is starting to get bored by himself and wants to be entertained, usually by me since I'm around most often.  Sometimes all I have to do is look at him or talk to him briefly and sometimes it requires picking him up for a full-on song and dance around the room.
-Sitting/Standing.  Ty would generally rather be sitting than laying down and standing than sitting.  The problem is, he really can't do anything but lay without lots of assistance and he will only last so long in the Bumbo seat.  (Here he's getting a little extra support for his first Baby Einstein video experience.)

 He fell asleep while playing.  Play hard, sleep hard, right?
 On his way to get some clean clothes; he peed through these ones in church and left a nice wet spot on Russell's pants.
 Yea for bath time!  He's about outgrown his tub...
 Playing while sitting up: multi-tasking.
 Having a lovely conversation with Mom.
 Happy guy.
 And here's some laughing, playing, and talking all in one!
He's growing, for sure.  Russell plans to teach Ty to drive pretty soon.  He's awesome.

(P.S. Ty is SO much better in person than in pictures.  Come see for yourself!)

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween!

Over this past week I realized how much I love dressing up and (more emphatically) love dressing Ty up!  I'm glad that I finally broke our the ol' sewing machine again and although I procrastinated, finished sewing our costumes.  Russell's was really just gathered together, but that was work, too!  Anyway, we had a fun time going to Russell's class party on Friday night and our ward trunk-or-treat/chili cook-off on Saturday.  Please, enjoy the festivities and appreciate our ridiculous costumes.

I went to a witch party earlier in the week.  Unfortunately, you can't see my purple shoes and patterned tights.
 Here's our lovely Gourlie Circus Sideshow costumes: Russell is the bearded lady, I'm the Strong Man, and Tyzar is the fortune teller!  Ty pretty much only wore his goatee for this picture on account of his drooly chin.
 One little boy (age 2ish) saw Russell and said, "Jesus!"
 How precious!
 Let me break down this costume: wig on clearance at a Halloween store pinned back by loving wife, necklace on loan from said wife, blouse from Salvation Army, dress from Ross, shoes (size 12) from Goodwill, lady lumps are tights from my drawer, and beard allllll natural.
 And my costume: Mustache from Halloween store (I don't know how Russell has face rodents--it was annoying and scratchy), shirt and shoes from Walmart, pants from my drawer, belt from my closet, costume sewed up by yours truly sans pattern, and muscles out of toilet paper and socks--both are being used again.
 Halloween costumes were kind of "opposites" for us.  :)
 At our ward trunk-or-treat in the back of our circus trunk!  Because we didn't feel quite right cross-dressing at a church function, Russell changed his costume to be a sword-swallower/carnie and I'm the strong woman.  Ty is still the Incredible Tyzar.
 Wow--she's really strong!
 Going with our sideshow theme, Tyzar handed out candy with "fortunes" attached.  (I think this is a product of a mom who has a lot of brain time to come up with cheesy things like this.)
 AND (last but definitely not least) Tyzar's costume: vest made from a pillow sham, feather from JoAnn's, turban (which looked a little better in person than in pictures) very un-authentically made, onesie from his drawer, MC Hammer pants and sash sewed up sans pattern.  I'm pretty sure they'll be put into his regular pants rotation.
All together, a lovely Halloween.  We didn't end up carving pumpkins, which just means that the pumpkin sitting on our porch is now a Thanksgiving decoration.   The biggest problem I have now is figuring our where/when we're wearing our costumes again! 

Friday, October 29, 2010

Pumpkin Patch: Take 2

We went back to the patch today, but our photographic success was less than stellar.  For one, the sun was much brighter than we anticipated and Ty was crankier than I had hoped.  Oh, well.  Here are some of the shots we ended up with. 

 
 

 We made him hold a pumpkin...and he dropped it about a second later.
 Looks like he's pushing his glasses up.  Sadly, I lost my glasses at the pumpkin patch, so they'll have to live on in this picture.
We tried to get one of the 2 of us, but the team effort just wasn't there.
 Maybe we're mean, but we had to get a picture of Ty and Addie in the baby pumpkins.  (In case you can't tell, Addie's the pumpkin with arms.)
 
 
 And the trip ended with a surprise Tyger attack!

 Happy Harvest, everyone!