blogonhoy: November 2003 | pauline orendain

21.11.03

it is finished, finally

Gruelling week over. Comdex 2003 over. No more Flash files to deal with, no more video matrix switchboxes and flat panel monitors to set up, no more meetings, crowds, shaking sweaty/clammy hands, and no more convention center trips. Also, we're off the baby bottle at last! One week and counting. Dylan is doing miraculously well, although the whinning has increased somewhat, but other than that, I can take a breath at last. Next up, potty training.

10.11.03

dylan is two

Dylan's Birthday

Hard to believe that two years have already passed since Dylan's induced birth. So, it's hard to say whether today would have been his real birthday if the perinatologist hadn't MADE him come out to see the world before he, Dylan, was actually ready. But in this case, he shares writer Neil Gaiman's birthday (which I only learned recently), so I'm not sure if that holds any significance.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beloved son!

A birthday party was celebrated on Saturday, with balloons, cake ice cream and children of all shapes and sizes. If one child is hard enough to handle, try 14! Also, try feeding them spaghetti and meatballs with lovely tomato sauce that can stain your entire house despite rolls and stacks of napkins. There were of course all the lovely dishes on the spread, but yes, spaghetti and hot dogs are always the kids' choice, despite tempting crabs and ribs.

Finding Nemo was the movie of choice while they ate, and it was very interesting to see that as the children's attention waned to other distractions (inhaling helium to make funny voices, playing party games that made them madly dizzy), the adults were transfixed to the screen. Later on, the adults were bowled over with laughter over Nemo, and they made more noise than a dozen children put together.

The birthday song was sung, candles put out, and the cake was cut (and delicious - carrot cake with vanilla cheescake filling and cream cheese frosting) and served with ice cream. Thereafter was a bit of a blur with children running in and out of the house and making high pitched helium-induced sounds, tearing of wrapping paper and a general disorder or children having a party. In all, a grand time for the birthday boy.

4.11.03

of defiance, strong wills, birthday parties and being your own dragonball z boy

Well, we've finally reached it. We've finally hit a milestone that no parent ever wants to hurdle: the ultimate terrible two's, and it's a week yet before Dylan actually turns two. A lot of whining. A lot of crying if he doesn't get what he wants. A lot of having to walk out of places with a child making a huge scene.

Ah, the joys of parenthood!

He only wants what he wants, and it has to be now, this minute and not a minute later. For whatever reason, don't touch his baseball cap. Don't give him gray pants when he wants to wear his blue ones. Keep your comments to yourself unless you want them reapeatedly announced loudly to the public around you. But whatever you do, never use the word "later"or you will suffer the wrath of Dylan. Do distract him immediately, prefereably with something that interests him more than his current fixation; so think quick, be on your toes, and try to avoid the "angry tone". The key word is distraction. Be prepared for monumental embarassment for the next couple of years - you'll only laugh it off eventually.

Dragonball Z boy. This was Dylan's official first Halloween. Last year, he had no idea. Well, not that he really did this year, but he thought it was great going to every house and ringing the doorbell - who cares if they were supposed to give you candy, that was an added bonus! He ran to every door, then wasn't sure what to do when they opened up. Then he got a nice surprise when they all wanted to stuff his pumpkin with candy! Made the costume in one night, but I didn't have time to do the hair right, so I tried to gel up what he had, but he didn't like cold gel on his head too much. He loved the costume, loved the candy more, and by the end of the night, he was literally bouncing off the walls until he threw up from too much chocolate and Skittles.

Preparations for a birthday party are underway. Party plates, tablecloths, balloons, noise makers, goody bags and party hats have all been procured. Dylan has been wearing his party hat since the weekend. Everything had to have tennis balls, soccer balls, footballs, and of course, baseballs on it. So, I suppose that has involuntarily become our theme. Then there's the menu to think about, as I believe adults will outnumber children - Dylan doesn't exactly have his own network yet, so we'll have a few of the neighborhood kids over for some hotdogs, spaghetti and meatballs and lots of cake and ice cream. The adults however, will be feasting on salt and pepper crab claws, salt and pepper pork chops, turbo cooked ribs and mashed potatoes and maybe some spinach dipped veggie sticks.

Dylan has been singing "Happy Birthday" for the last three weeks. He had an advanced party with his cousins in New Jersey last week, with a baseball cake. Then he'll be having the real party with another baseball cake. I wonder if he'll be all partied out at the end of it all. Doubt it.