What's Your Name?

Today is my grandmother's 84th birthday - Happy Birthday Grandma! This summer Justin will get to meet his Great-Grandma for the first time when we go on vacation out to Michigan for a family reunion. We are looking forward to it!

Well, his top four teeth are finally coming in. All at once, of course. He's actually doing very well with it. If they are hurting him, he isn't showing it. One very exciting thing that happened over the weekend is that Justin started saying his own name! It's so cute to ask him what his name is and to hear him say it. He leaves out the "J", but there is no mistaking what he is saying.

We had gymboree this week, which was pretty much the same as always, although Justin did approach one little girl to yell at her because he wanted the yellow and purple basketball she was holding.

Today we played outside in the afternoon. Justin started to play with Pudge's ball, and Pudge was very good about it. I wasn't thrilled that he was touching a ball that's been in my dog's mouth and been outside for about 2 years, but I washed his hands. Hey, he's got to get some germs. Anyway, when he finally put the ball down, Pudge ran over and grabbed it. I have never seen my son throw such a tantrum in his life! He was so mad! I tried to explain that the ball belonged to Pudge, but a 15 month old isn't very receptive to being reasoned with. Even after we came inside, he would still walk by and hit her. Poor Pudge, she didn't do anything wrong! He got over it when I gave him a couple of measuring cups to whack together.

One thing that is very frustrating lately is his dinners. I try to be a good mom and make him homemade meals, but I don't know if it is worth it. He never seems to really like anything unless it is chicken & broccoli in cheese sauce (and not cheddar!) or soup with pastina. Today I spent almost an hour making macaroni and cheese with chicken and carrots and zucchini. Cutting up the veggies real small and steaming them, and cooking the chicken and chopping it up takes quite a bit of time. And Justin would not even open his mouth. I got one piece of pasta in and he spit it right out. And then he gobbled down the peas and brown rice from a jar that Chris fed him. Peas and brown rice from a JAR vs. homemade mac & cheese with chicken and veggies. I just don't get it. Of course, I was mostly frustrated because I must have eaten at least half a serving of the mac & cheese while trying to get him to try it. Not quite on the diet plan.

I feel like if I blend up the mac & cheese dinner and put it in an empty food jar that he'll love it. But I don't want to start a new habit. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

Work has begun on our basement, the whole frame is up and they are doing the plumbing for the bathroom tomorrow. Woo-hoo! A few more weeks and I'll have my family room back and a nice playroom downstairs. I can't wait!