Friday, January 29, 2010

Events and Updates

So, it's been awhile. Since we last blogged .... (OK, actually in the last 2 days)
  • Ben has pushed through his first moler. (Sorry, no pic...but have no fear, Gamma arrives on Wed.)

  • Benj has taken a huge and strange liking to chewing ice cubes. Ye, chomp right into a regular sized-half moon shaped ice cube with his front 6.5 teeth (ones half in) and contently chews on it til it drools...water falls out his mouth.

  • BenZ has developed the skill to SHOT water out his mouth like a fountain--he readily uses this still to his own great delight.

  • BZ has learned the "sign" for more...and uses it for "I WANT...NOW!" Unfortunately, he has not learned to communicate what exactly it is that he wants. Initially it was a drink from his sippy cup, which is what we used to try and teach him the sign. That quickly morphed into I want a drink of what my brother is having -- from his cup. Which quickly seemed to turn into, "NO, I WANT TO HOLD THE CUP (of really cool looking purple liquid) MYSELF!" Now it can be anything on the table, in the room or from his recent memory!

  • Benny finally learned the "sign" for 'Pick-up'. This gets used constantly. Infact, if you are not standing correctly according to him, you are likely to get the sign again while you are holding him -- I have no clue what this means!

  • I'm trying out all the possible nicknames I could call this kid (you notice that one has been left out!). I realized this week, when I heard #2 son call his younger brother "Bubba" that I have been referring to #3 by that "affectionate" name. However, that name has already been allocated to someone in the extended family by my dear mother. So, let me know which you like.

  • Finally...Gamma comes next Wednesday, Six days from now. Seth, has devised an ingenious way to keep track of how many more days til Gamma arrives....He put on six shirts today (I would like to remind you that we live in Florida, where it is 80 degrees in January!) and will take one off each day until she gets here, that way he will be able to know how many more days ... til he melts to death!


Tuesday, September 29, 2009

SMILE!

(Baby Ben has recently bypassed his big brother with 3 new teeth to Toby's 2)

Lip Smackin' Good

We have for several weeks been trying to get on video this weird inhale noise that Ben produces for no apparently particular reason and have been thus far unsuccessful. Then the other day he began "smacking" his lips while eating sometimes. Again, this has apparently been for no particular reason or cause. While trying to record this smacking, he all of a sudden decided to do the ol' inhale instead.

(The first clip is the little bit of smacking we were able to record and the second is the inhale. I apologize that the second clip goes so long. I was hoping to get him to do one or the other again--he didn't, so feel free to turn it off, or restart it after the inhale.)

Monday, September 28, 2009

20 @ 20 for 40

Every (just about every) Sunday morning I bike with a group of men dubbed "Band of Brothers" (I was pulling for "Holy Rollers") a 15 mile loop at about 15-16 mph. Yesterday morning I got up with the idea of riding 20 miles at an average speed of 20 mph for my 40th birthday! (20 + 20 = 40)

Unfortunately, after 15.45 miles, my buddy Randy and I had only averaged 19.3 mph and I felt ready to die...I had forgotten to mention to him that I was thinking to do a little longer ride and therefore was hoping to take it a little easier than he was capable of. After a brief rest, I decided that I could possibly still do 40 miles for my 40th birthday. So I told Randy that I was thinking to do a little longer ride and he quickly said that he would do the loop again with me. I hadn't yet told him how far I was thinking to go and so he took off in the lead at 18+ mph again.

Panting and puffing we finished the loop (backward) a second time having dropped to an average speed of 18.3 mph after just under 32 miles. At this point I tell my "friend" that I figure I will just SLOWLY ride around the neighborhood until I reach an even 40 miles. To which he says; "The park is about 4.5 miles, how about we ride there and back?" What was I suppose to say--I would have never made it this far on my own. So, off again at a "leisurely" 17+ mph. However, when I knew I was more than 4 miles out, I asked Randy (who I think would have ridden all day) if it was OK with him if we turned around and headed back.

By the time we FINALLY hit 40 miles, our average speed had dropped to "only" 17.8 mph for the 2 hours and 15 minutes that we had been actually pedaling. I tacked on an extra 1.23 miles by the time we stopped, so I don't have to do this again next year!

Those of you that are not yet impressed, please refer to the picture in the Ignorant Americans post on this blog site and notice the extra baggage I am toting around my middle section that real cyclist don't have to carry.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

September Begins with Milestones

September 2009 began with 3 major milestones for the Pitton Family.

First, Big brother Toby, after 7 1/2 years finally lost his first tooth. It was a good thing, because the replacement was nearly all the way in and twice as big. We were visiting Gamma's house and as we pulled out of the drive way, Toby asked from the back seat, "Do you think I should pull out my tooth?" Of course we said, "Yes!" About 10 seconds late he announced that he had. Unfortunately, his second permenant tooth has also come in, just as large as the first and right next door. Every night he faithfully prays that his loose tooth will fall out and each day he refuses to pull it himself (or let my help!). Sadly, his baby teeth are vertually perfect looking, but are being replaced by adult teeth that have been pushed back into his mouth at strange angles waiting for the "loose teeth to fall out." Well, looks like braces are a family tradition that will continue!


WARNING: The second Pitton milestone should not be read about will eating.

Shortly after returning home from the long trip up North, Little Ben was having quite the time it seemed trying re-adjust to not being strapped into a car seat. He just didn't like sit down at all. (This turned out to be the pre-curser to milestones #2 & #3.) One especially unpleasant day I lost the "Not-It" game and had to change a particularly stinky diaper. As I tried to save my nose by quickly perform my task, I (simi-proudly) discovered "milestone #2". Yes, Ben's first ... solid turd.

I sincerely apologize to all of you that do not have a grandmother-nurse in the family. Please try to understand that this is not only an appropriate topic of discussion on my wife's side of the family--it is appropriate dinner conversation!

(Sorry, No Picture!)

And finally, milestone #3. Have you ever seen a "sidewinder" -- a snake that can't slither in a straight line? Well, I'd like to say that milestone #3 was that Ben has learned to crawl, but I think that just may give the wrong picture of how he ... moves. He seems to not like to have both knees on the ground at one time. So, has developed a kind of "sidewinder" approach of movement that usually involves one knee step and the opposite leg, stiff kneed brought around the opposite side of the body...half crawl and half walk. His favorite places to go...the big brother's room!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Ignorant Americans

Three times in the last two weeks I have had people refer to my youngest son as "her" or "she" and then last week the checkout guy at Target ask me; "What's up with the shirt?" all while we sported our King of the Mountain "jerseys." What is with all these ignorant, fat, lazy, football couch potato Americans that they can't recognize the beauty of the oh-so studly polka dots of the Tour de France!

OK, it just hit me what I am saying and I took a look at what we look like. I think I'm going to just go watch some TV!


Don't Taunt the Animals!