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January 19, 2003
January 19th, 2004
Cameron is now 22 months old. He now wears all 2T clothing and wears a size 6 shoe. I don't know his height or weight off hand but I would guess he is close to 30 lbs and is probably 33 -34 inches or so. He is growing stronger and smarter every day (and cuter of course). He has now had his second haircut in as many months and he really is starting to look like a little boy. He disliked getting his hair cut both times but we really had no choice. His hair was so long and curly he was constantly being mistaken for a girl and it was just such a hassle to take care of. So, back in December, (the 7th), we took him first to see Santa, which went off without a hitch, and then to Cartoon Cuts for his first haircut. Charles held Cameron in his lap and though Cameron cried a bit, he was not struggling to get out of the chair. I took him for his second haircut on the January 16 and even went a little shorter this time since his hair grows so fast. It's sad to see them grow up and metamorphose before your eyes from baby to boy...
Thanksgiving and Christmas were both quiet and peaceful events. Thanksgiving was the usual - a stuffing of our faces at my parents' house and a weekend of shopping until we dropped. Christmas was also the usual - a ton of presents, a chaotic living room full of wrapping and boxes and toys everywhere. Cameron got a ton of stuff from all friends and relatives, so many that it was just plain ridiculous, not that we didn't appreciate it. There was just so much, he couldn't even appreciate it all. His favorite toy is still his trusty vacuum cleaner though, I don't think he will ever tire of that.
I could have slapped someone Christmas Eve though. My parents had bought Cameron as one of his presents, a Cozy Coupe Little Tikes Car. Now I admit, they are trashy-looking and all that, and I know in the past I said these types of toys were awful, but bottom line, it's a kid and his toy and his happiness which is all that matters. People really need to get over that sort stuff, I know I needed to and I did! Well anyway, to make a long story short, Charles and my dad completely wrecked the damn thing trying to put it together without reading the instructions. They put some parts on the wheels before they were supposed to go on. These parts, once installed, are irreversible and if you try to uninstall them, they break, which is exactly what happened. So, Cameron had no car on Christmas morning and I was pissed. If only they hadn't whipped the instructions out of my hands and totally demolished the thing, I could have done it myself in minutes. Which is exactly what I did two days later. Why is it that it always takes a woman to do a man's job?
New Year's Eve was also fun. We had some friends over for cheese fondue and of course drinks. Everyone drank too much and ate too much and just had a great time together. Nothing more to say about the evening other than I just love our friends, they are great and we are so lucky to have found such a great group of couples with kids to hang out with.
Not too far into the future, Charles and I are going to Mexico. We will be gone for 8 days while my in-laws watch Cameron at our house. I am not nervous about his care or his welfare, my in-laws are great and Cameron will be in heaven with them but I am nervous that Cameron will run my in-laws ragged and that they will be ready for hospitalization by the time we return.
We will be in Acapulco, staying at one of my parents' time shares. I absolutely love it there, all we do is go from the hotel to the beach (it is about five steps from the hotel's pool's deck to the sand), and then we lie around all day, drink, eat, swim from 9-5. Then we usually go out to eat and then after that - night life, of which there is a lot in Acapulco. The stores don't close until very late and they have a lot of the same stores as we have in the states but the stuff is cheaper so you can really clean up. We usually will go to a few night clubs, have drinks, stuff like that. Acapulco (the city) is made up of one huge strip with tons of lights and activity. You don't need a car but there are hansom cabs that will take you everywhere you need to go, it is great. Sometimes we go see a show too, or the cliff divers (like the ones you used to see in Love Boat). We also plan to come home from a night out and go straight to the hot tub and a few more drinks. I think Acapulco is VERY touristy, which is why some people don't like it, but I love tons of people everywhere and I love a lot of activity, I am not seeking absolute peace and serenity (except when I am on the beach, and even then I am always doing something like water skiing, banana boating, or parasailing), I just want to have fun. So for all the reasons stated above, this is why we go to Acapulco a lot. But the MAIN reason we go is because at this time of year, the weather in Acapulco is always guaranteed. It is always 95 degrees or so and sunny. I have never once seen it rain. This is why I love it so much. I have wanted to try other places like Hawaii, but besides the awfully long flight from over here, the time lost traveling, and the potential for rain, I don't want to take the risk. It is sort of a stupid way of looking at it, but since we don't get to go away all that often, we can't take the chance that it will rain the whole time. When I was a kid we used to go to Brazil quite often, (Rio), which is amazing. But it used to rain A LOT when we'd go and we got sick of it and so we stopped going. When Cam is older, we will experiment a little more with him and expose him to new places instead of the same old thing, but since it is just us and we are seeking total relaxation in the sun, this was the best option. My parents' place is nice, it's a very large apartment that looks right out onto the water. It's clean and pretty but not what you'd call fancy but still very nice. I am so looking forward to time alone with Charles and though we will both miss Cameron terribly, I think we will have an incredible time.
Can I just say, I shudder at the thought of the state of my house upon our return after 8 days with my in-laws in it. I don't even want to think about the kitchen or the bathrooms - ughhhhh!!!!!!! My MIL is neat as a pin but my FIL is not, he is simply your typical man. And poor Cam, he will be STIR CRAZY because my MIL won't leave the house, not that I blame her, it is a lot for an older person to struggle with a toddler and all his paraphernalia. Thankfully, my GFs are actually coming to get him to take him to his Little Gym classes which is only right down the street so he will get at out at least TWICE during the entire 8 days. I do feel sorry for my MIL though, she has no clue what lies in store for her. When Cam got up at 4 this morning, when he kicked me in a fit of anger when I tried to change his diaper, when he clung to my calves all day crying for no apparent reason, when he threw his custard across the kitchen because he didn't want it, when he destroyed the den with his toys and decided that belly flopping onto the sofa from the couch would be fun, I truly pitied my MIL and her Hell Week to come!
In anticipation of our trip, we finally got our act together and had our wills drawn up. We had been putting it off for so long and we decided that the best thing to do before we left was take care of this most depressing task. We don't care so much about our money and assets, that is the easy part, but designating guardians and alternates is a tough decision to make. My parents and in-laws were out of the question simply because of their ages. We finally decided on our best friends from CT (who we had decided upon long ago) and our best friends here in VA, two incredibly awesome couples whom we love and trust dearly. It's funny, one of my GFs put it best when she described how she picked her kids' guardians. She said, I obviously choose someone who is safe, happy, loves kids, is financially stable and morally responsible and I choose someone who loves MY kids. But I also choose someone who is going to make sure that my child always remembers me and loves me. And in my opinion, she couldn't have put it better. I want someone who is not only going to raise Cameron and love him and care for him like their own, but I want them to be the sort of person who will tell Cameron what a great lady his mom was (even if they lie through their teeth), someone who will tell him how much I loved laughing, or who will know about my quirks and tell him about them, like my penchant for blindingly white teeth and my love of disinfectant. GRIN. Most important, I want someone who will always makes sure he knows how much I loved (love) HIM. Bottom line, I want it to be a person who knows ME (and Charles of course) and makes sure that Cameron never forgets either of us. You can always choose people who will take care of your child's basic needs, but will they understand YOU enough as the parent to raise the child the way you would have wanted them raised? Will they be able to maintain and support the bond of love between you and your child, even after you are long gone? Will they want to? These were all important questions for both Charles and I and ultimately what made our decision for us. God willing, we will never need these wills or these guardians, and though I know the chances of something bad happening to us on this trip are slight, peace of mind is a wonderful thing. For us, that is what a will (not to mention additional life insurance) is for - peace of mind.
Cameron's reflux is gone. He is eating very well and talking more and more. His hearing does not seem to have impacted his speech. His surgery for his ears will be rescheduled for some time in the new year but we are not concerned as it is purely an elective surgery. His umbilical hernia is almost completely gone. Cameron is one funny kid. While he can be the most loving and affectionate child, he is also a complete boy's boy. What I mean is, while he can be sweet as pie, he has no trouble defending himself should the occasion arise. One day I took him to the indoor playground at the mall. A four year old kid (I asked his mother his age) was playing in a small cave-like tunnel and when Cameron tried to walk in the tunnel, the kid yelled at Cameron to get out and then violently shoved Cameron back a few steps. Cameron took a few steps back and charged the kid with all his might and then shoved him down on the ground where this same child then proceeded to sob. I immediately jumped up and told Cameron sternly never to do that again, though inside I was secretly laughing. I apologized to the mother who told me that it was she who should be apologizing to her because it was her son who started it and Cameron was only defending himself. I have to say, Cameron is not aggressive with little kids but if you push him, watch out. Sad that I admit this, but I was proud. This kid was a whole head taller than Cameron and a helluva lot wider. And it's not that I want Cameron fighting or bullying other kids but I am so relieved that he appears to want to stand up for himself instead of crying or running to me. Not that this would be bad but I think in the long run if he has the confidence to stand up to people, he will be better off. I won't always be there to fight for him. I hate that fact, but it's true.
Well, I suppose that is about it. What can I say, it's always a wild ride here at iParenting. From Preconception.com to Pregnancy Today to Babies to Mom's Today, I have had the time of my life. I have been exposed to feelings and experiences I never would have dreamed possible. My emotions have been displayed for the entire world to see and I have rather enjoyed it.
I have made invaluable friendships with people I love, and horrific enemies with people I hope I never meet. I have learned so much about people and life and love and hatred. From topics that run the gamut from religion to sex to child care to sexuality to abortion to even baby pool etiquette, I feel I have talked my ear off, typed my fingers numb and exposed my emotions until they were raw. So, to iParenting I say, thank you. Thank you for providing us with this site and this forum in which to live and share our lives. Thank you for taking the time to create a place where we could all get together and compare ideas and share our lives and perhaps for some of us, live vicariously through others. Thank you for listening to our complaints and taking all the flak we give you. I can only imagine how many gray hairs you have all accumulated listening to our constant complaining and criticisms. Thank you for it all. .
And just a quick note to some people I want to mention because I want them to know how I feel. It is IMPORTANT to me that they know how they feel:
To all the wonderful friends I have made: Jenny W., Jenn B., Barb, Anne, Kim B., Paula, Trudy, Kami, Jennifer D., Rachael, Dani, Monica, Lisa, Lori W. and whomever else I pray to God that I am not forgetting, I wish you nothing but the best in your lives, I wish you love and happiness and pure joy. You have all changed my life forever and we will always be friends. The best.
To Megan, you are my dearest friend on this site. Many times I would have fallen apart if it weren't for you. You are some kind of girl and I thank God I met you. You are one of the most intelligent, strong and focused people I have ever met. I love you like the older sister I always wished I had. 'Nuff said.
To Mary, you are my dearest friend who I met on this site who I actually get to see whenever I want to! Many times you have made me laugh and I love you for that. You are hysterical and you are so crazy! I love you like the younger sister I always wished I had.
To my sweet little Cameron, my Clambake, my Doopie, my honey boy, mama loves you more than anything in this world. I always will. You have brought me the most joy I have ever had in my life. Never forget that. And even one day when I am no longer on this earth, I will always be a part of your life, watching you, looking down and loving you like I did the first time I held you. Be yourself, be happy, be smart and be strong. Trust yourself and watch your back. Work hard and play harder. Love people, not things. And no matter what, always, always, ALWAYS laugh...
Mommy
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