Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Video of the Week: Hello?

Eli loves to steal our phones and "talk" to whoever is on the other end. In this case its his Gaypa, David.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Video of the Week: The Return!

So I know its been a long time, but here is a video. I hope the first of many new post to come very soon. (look at you mom)

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Upside Down

Oh yes, it's all coming back to me.  We have a blog.  I keep forgetting about this.

Today something crazy happened.  Kenny went to work--at like an office, wearing business casual and sitting in cubicle all day.  He interviewed for a contracting position on Monday.  Later that day we met with a potential child care provider.  The next day they offered him the gig, and today we all had a really weird day.

Kenny dropped Eli and me off at the sitter's house and I dropped Eli off (then proceeded to spend an hour and 40 minutes in the car...oops).  He saw that I was leaving and began screaming and crying--which, while not terribly uncommon--felt way worse since I was leaving him with basically a stranger rather than his father or grandparent.  Intellectually, I know this is good for all of us.  Emotionally I am still catching up, which surprises me.  I didn't expect to feel this way.

Eli did apparently stop crying after a couple of minutes, so that is good news.  His sitter (not even sure that is the right word) seems really great and did a million activities with him.

Starting tomorrow, Kenny will get up at the crack of dawn, walk the dogs and then drive an hour to work.  I will somehow get Eli fed and dressed, myself dressed, the dogs mini-walked, Eli and me on the train and to the sitter, then myself back on the train and to work.  I'm not really sure how that all will happen.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Month 18


Monkey See, Monkey Do




We live with a monkey. An 18-month-old* monkey.  He's in constant motion and, more specifically, in constant climbing motion. He has figured out that he can take shorter objects over to the bigger objects that he shouldn't be able to climb. Kenny found him on top of the dining room table the other day. Just like Leroy. He can open drawers, overcome childproofing devices to open cabinets, turn on faucets, climb into and out of the bath tub...he just needs to grow another inch or so and he'll be able open door knobs. We mounted the TV to the wall. He can still manage to get up there and turn it on and off but at least now he won't be able to pull it onto himself.





In the past few weeks, he's started imitating us quite a bit. The things he's learned are oh so telling about our lives.

When it's time for a walk he'll pick up the leashes and try to put them on the dogs. He'll also grab a reusable bag and head for the door when he thinks it's time to go grocery shopping.

He goes on 3 puppy walks a day. While we were outside the other day, he got a hold of one of the baggies we use for picking up poop. He put it on his hand and went over to pick up imaginary poop out of the grass.  Life skills.



When we go on the back porch he'll grab the watering can and head up to the landing where we keep our tomato plants. He'll then shove the watering can in the general direction of each plant.

He picked up his baby doll today, held it to his chest, put the head against his cheek and said, "Shhhhhhhh" while swaying.

When he throws things on the ground he says, "Oh!" as if he's surprised.

Of course everything is a phone.  Actual phones with people on them are the best.  He wrestles them from our hands and then does a perfect impersonation of Kenny on the phone (except not so grumpy).  He paces, looks at the ground and says, "Huh?  Oh" as if the caller on the other line is telling a pretty shocking story.

If you ask him for a kiss, he'll bring his face near you and say, "Mwah!"


He does the hand movements (you know, his version of them) for Itsy Bitsy Spider.

When he's in the mood to sit still for a moment he brings the remote to one of us (me if I am home because he knows I am a softie) and points at the TV and waits. Of course, Curious George is his favorite.

*For baby booking purposes, he's 25 lb 4 oz. and 31 inches.  Head is 85th percentile.  Body is 25th.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

A man I never knew

Dear Eli,

Today your father's father's father died. You may wonder why I would refer to him as your father's father's father and not your great-grandfather. The answer is that he was this in name only. I never had a grandfather in this man. I don't use that name for him. You never had a great-grandfather in this man. He however is your ancestor. This is our story.

He, for the most part, is never talked about in our family. History has been rewritten. His name has been erased much like conquering armies would remove the names of previous rulers from the city walls they inhabited. Banishment came from the top. It has always been clear that I had freewill to make my own decisions. My option was never executed.

What could be so bad that this would happen? It can be a long story, but it comes down to this, When your Mimi was pregnant with me she got very sick. She ended up in the hospital and I was born weeks premature. My father's father never visited him, her, or me in the hospital. As the story goes he was upset about the name that I was given and that is why he never came. Your Paw Paw was very upset and let it be known that if his father was not at my Bris that he would never be part of his family's life again. As it is written so shall it be done.

This is just the first chapter of our Kodner family history. Other confusing painful stories exist. Other relationships altered. We don't need to get into all of it at once. This story is the keystone. This story will not be debated. This is the story of your father's father's father.

Sometime in the Summer of 1981 I was circumcised. The date is unclear to me. It did not take place eight days after my birth, but weeks after. I was too weak to have a Bris according to tradition. Your father's father's father did not attend. As it is written so shall it be done.

That's it. Thirty years ago a man so let down his son that he was never forgiven. In the rare occasion that his name was spoken of it was let known that he was not a good man. That he never treated your Paw Paw well. We were better off without him in our lives.

Over the years I can remember four events that my family attended that he was at. I don't believe I ever talked to him. I have no history with the man. He is the first one of my grandparents to pass. He is first person in your bloodline to go in your lifetime. It's sad he never got the meet you. This whole thing is sad.

Your Mom lost two grandparents when she was a young girl. She did not get to celebrate with any at our wedding. Growing up I only had two grandparents that I talked to. The fact of the matter is that I did lose two as a child. It just feels weird that the end of this chapter closed today. The book was closed a long time ago. It had to happen sometime.

I have been very lucky to have made it to thirty years old with out having any grandparent die. I don't know how old he was. I don't know how he died. He lost out on thirty kick-ass years of my life. He lost out on thirty kick ass years of my dad's life. He lost out on on the best 18 mouths of joy I have ever known.

It was his loss. I never knew him. The news of his death did affect me, but did not bring me pain. I mourn what could have been. Not what was. I never needed anything from him. He hurt the man that I love most, not me. I am a grown man with my own family now. One that I will never let down.

I have always stood with your Paw Paw. I was told that I was free to make my own decisions about my relationships when I was older. My father was all I ever needed. He is my family. Mistakes were made. Ultimatums, right or wrong, were enforced. I stand with my dad.

The hardest part of dealing with this news is how to explain this to you. I know you are only a year and a half old, but like I said, this is our story. This is why I am writing this down for you.

Life is hard. My love for you is not. I have no idea how anyone could let there child walk away from them. I don't know how anyone could be so fucking selfish. How could any father let their relationship with their son burn. How could a son care so little of the man the raised him that a mistake, albeit a big mistake, could end their relationship.

I can not comprehend the thought that you could ever think so little of me that you would not come to my funeral. It is mind boggling. I would give up everything for you. My life if needed. I love you so much that it hurts me sometimes. Fatherhood has changed me. Change my thought about this story. My thoughts about my dad. I understand but can never comprehend.

I know this is a lot. Death is a lot. This is the story of a man I never knew. A man that I officially will never know. This is the story about one of the leaves on your family tree. His name was Marvin.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Month 17

Is it to early to want to sell this one to the circus?

So is this how its going to work for the next 18 years? You push us to the brink of crazy, we keep loving you more that you could ever know. (At least until you have a child of your own.)

This tantrum toddler. My mighty monkey. This crazy child of mine is 17 months old.  

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Harvest Time

I try not to post Daily Eli photos to the blog too, but in this case I am making and exception. I was so excited last year when our first tomato ripened on the vine that I used it in the Daily Eli the next day. I thought it would make a good perspective shot again this year. Maybe I will do this every year. Maybe Eli will grow to hate me.

"First Harvest"
Daily Eli 06/29/2010

"Second Harvest"
Daily Eli 07/19/2011

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Life right now

And by "life," I mostly mean Eli.  The world clearly revolves around him.


  1. He is a crazy hugging boy.  He has been hugging dogs (when they let him) and hug-tackling other children (Stella, Milo, kids at daddy play group) since Memorial Day-ish.  Last weekend he started hugging us.  OMG it is the best thing ever.  He wraps his little arms around your neck and brings you cheek to cheek with him.  
  2. He kisses too.  He blows kisses when he senses a good bye or when asked (sometimes).  If you ask him for a kiss, he put his wet, open mouth on your face.
  3. You have to be careful though because he has also become quite the little biter.  He bites shoulders, legs, and most of all--toes.  I really need to ask the internet what to do about this issue.  I am not interested in the hot sauce method or biting him back.  So far we have come up with such brilliant solutions as 1) yelping in pain (usually because we are in pain), 2) saying "No" and 3) saying "No.  Biting hurts."  He usually laughs maniacally. 
  4. But back to the adorable.  He finally fairly consistently says, "Mama."  Rarely he says it when he sees me but often he says it over and over again while we're hanging out.  Or when he wants to nurse.  Mama still=boob lady.  
  5. He's said Dada for quite some time now.  I'm not bitter about that or the fact that he learned to say "bump" before "Mama."  Believe it or not, "bump" shows up in a few Dr. Seuss books.  He knows each page that it appears on.  He also knows E! which he says on the E page of Seuss's ABCs and the Z page--because hey, it's pretty close to E.  We are clearly still reading LOTS of Seuss.  Lots.  
  6. He climbs everything.  We had baby-proofed the house.  We are now working on Eli-proofing it.  The guy will climb window sills, toilets--will bring makeshift stepping stools over to things to climb otherwise unclimbable things.  He and I got locked out on the back porch Friday night.  Some kindly neighbors took us in while we waited for Kenny to get home.  I had to take him off of their glass coffee table at least 4 times.  
  7. He squeals with delight at puppy brawls, passing trains, and fire truck sirens.
  8. Just as when he was a tiny baby--he LOVES the outdoors and demands to go out regularly.  He's very close to figuring out how to open door knobs and when he does we may never see him indoors again.  A few times a day we find him at the back door grasping the door knob and crying.   
  9. I have not yet procured the child leash but definitely need to.
  10. We all play really hard and sleep really hard :-).  

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Eli is famous!

Eli and I have been going to a stay-at-home dads play group for a few months now. It's been really good for me to meet other dads that are in the same place as me. We go to parks, museums, play centers and sometimes each others' homes. It also has be nice to get Eli out and socializing with other kids.

A few weeks ago we went to the zoo. We had all the fun. Before Eli and I headed home we decided to go pet the goats. This film crew was hanging out, and I was trying to ignore them, but they could not ignore Eli. As it turns out they were doing a story on family and the camera loves us.

This producer came up to us after they took some film of Eli and gave me his card. He told us that we may be on this tv show 24/7 Chicago in a few weeks. It is some odd show on at 12:30 am, early Sunday morning. When I got home I set the DVR. Well guess what? We made it on the show. We show up around the :45 second mark. Enjoy the link below.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The New Ladies Room

I kept waiting for us to be totally, all the way done with the bathroom before posting the "after" pictures. I have since come to the realization that we may never be totally, all the way done.  In any event, the room makes me very happy.  The closest I have to before pictures are these taken before we moved in.




The floor tile was crappy looking.  The bathtub tile was grout-less in many places.  The bathtub had been poorly refinished and was peeling.  The pedestal sink was fine but offered no storage.  

Many, many painful weekends (of Kenny working long labor-intensive days and me taking care of Eli while taking care of the rest of the house and laundry) later, I have my happy room.  

We did a simple white subway tile for the bathtub.  This was Kenny's first ever tiling work, and I think he did a lovely job.


We contemplated doing hexagon mosaic tile for the floor.  We wanted something that fit with the era of the condo.  We settled on this mosaic that we thought  was unique and could maybe read vintagey or moderny.  


After moving in, we had painted this room purple.  For the remodel, we painted it the same purple but one shade lighter because I am crazy.  We got this vanity at Ikea.  It might be my favorite new feature.  The drawers are deep and functioning and have wonderful organization systems in them.  Kenny spent 2 hours on one of 4 trips to the hardware store to make the frankensteinian plumbing work.  He loves me.


We (and when I say "we" here and in other places, I usually mean Kenny) framed some pictures of the Alhambra (the place Kenny proposed) to hang over the toilet.


The medicine cabinet door is still a work in progress.  It was an old flakey-painted window.  The look did not go with the new direction of the bathroom.  For now, I slapped some gray paint on it and painted the glass so I don't have to look at all of my bottles and the like.  One day we may get some glass frosting film or Kenny might build me a new door.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Video of the Week: Eli can read!

My baby can read! It's true. I have video evidence for you all.  Eli has become a seussoholic. He makes us read all of his books over and over again. This does come in handy when you need Eli to come to you. 

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Its nice to be needed... until you're not.

I took Eli to the park today. This park is right next to the red line L tracks. When the trains go by it can get loud and scary if you happen to be a baby or puppy. The 1st time the train went by Eli was in my arms. The 2nd time Eli ran back to be held. Same for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th times. The 6th time he could not get back to me in time, he had wandered to far. He just looked at me and then when the train was past he went on his way. Becoming more of a grown boy every minute he did not come back to be held after that. He no longer need to be held. I however desperately wanted to hold someone. The world is too big.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

The reason they made weekends

Today was just lovely.

If you know us, you know we like to eat.  We like to cook.  We like to entertain.  We like to go out to fun restaurants.  Correction: We used to like to go out to fun restaurants.  We're done with restaurants.  For the first few months of his life, Eli was pretty easy to take to a restaurant.  The noisier the better.  He'd usually sleep through them.  As he became more aware of his surroundings, things got more difficult but were usually manageable if I nursed him.  Then bed time got to be more standard and if we were out for dinner, he was often angry and screamy.  There was a small window in time where he was semi-content in the high chair.  Now that he can walk really well, he really wants to walk around the restaurant and attack other guests and their tables.  He does not respond well to detractors.  He goes boneless.  He screams.  At an ill-advised trip to a sushi place last week, Eli managed to get pour out a kettle of soy sauce at an empty table before we could stop him.  Going to a restaurant now is like paying somebody to stress us out.

Entertaining at home is usually fine.  It can be challenging to time things right and make sure I don't spend the whole evening in the other room putting Eli down.  Today, we had friends over for brunch, and it was awesome.  We got to be sociable and eat good food.  Fixed!  There are so many important things they just don't cover in those parenting books.

This afternoon we met one of Kenny's daddy friends and his wife at a playground.  Eli spent most of the time stealing things from other children.  Kenny calls it teaching the older kids how to share.

And to top it all off, I took my first bath in my completed bathroom.  I shall write a separate post about that later this week (the bathroom, not the bath ;-).

Thursday, May 19, 2011

GiGi

So we are going to St. Louis next week and in preparation we have been working on saying "GiGi". He almost has it down. I hope he can say it for my Grandma, his Gigi.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The naked book worm


There are two things my boy likes these days: 1) being naked (probably gets that from his father) and 2) reading books.

While my mom was in town last week Eli became an avid book listener.  He picks one out, drags it over to you, grunts to be picked up or crawls into your lap.  Sometimes he changes his mind mid-way through the book and gets down to go find a different one.  Sometimes he gets angry that the book ends and makes it you read it again.  And again.  Boy cannot get enough of his Dr. Seus and Sandra Boynton.

About 50 or so stories into Sunday, I commented to Kenny that the boy had become obsessed.  He said, "Don't look at me.  I let him watch way too much TV."  The last time somebody made me read this many pages in a given day I was in grad school.
 

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Video of the Week: It's official. He's a toddler.

Emily came home from work the other day and finally accepted that our son was indeed a toddler. Her sad statement made me laugh as I had said goodbye to his babyhood a few weeks ago. If it throws tantrums like one, and is getting picky like one, it just might be a toddler.

The video this week is Mr. Eli's Opus to infant gross motor skills. We still need to learn how to jump and run. He will also improve all of these things and more, but I can't help but think that it will all come faster and be harder to celebrate. For now we celebrate his last steps as our baby and prepare for the coming whirlwind that is toddlerhood.



It's official. He's a toddler. from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Friday, April 08, 2011

My how they grow up so fast

I was just telling a friend earlier today that we probably still have some baby proofing to do around the house.

A few minutes ago, I heard Eli cry.  I found him standing in the kitchen upset because the TEQUILA BOTTLE he had just taken off the shelf of the closet bumped his cheek on its way down.  He carried the bottle as he wandered around the kitchen and sort of muttered to himself for a while.  Then he screamed and cried when I took the bottle out of his hand.

I feel the same way sometimes, Buddy.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Video of the Week: More

Eli has had a big language first this week. He can now sign the word more! If you count waving, clapping, and slapping his highchair he is signing all over the place. We are working on blowing kisses, but so far all he does is put his hand over his mouth.

We have also started to work on "drink", "eat", and "hungry". Right now if he wants something he signs more. Its been nice to know he wants something.

Right now I am getting the sign for I am up from my nap.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!


More! from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Month 13

It feels like just yesterday that Eli turned one. Time is going by super very fast. I can't get him to hold still for his formal month photo, so we are back to sitting. Some day he may hate me for these photos. Sometime after that he will love them.

Right now he is just full of love. Loves life. Loves his Mama VERRRRRY much. Can't stand to be away from Dada. His puppies have even started to like/love him too.

His likes include Skype, music, dogs, carbohydrates, mamas milk, dog bowls and anything he can't have.

His dislikes include Mama going to work, him not getting everything he wants, and being over kissed.


Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Extra video of the week

I posted a video a few weeks back showing you all how Eli thinks that it is funny to ignore our calls for him to stop.

Well now he is just straight up mocking us.


Follow-Up to Spin from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Video of the Week: Fake Laugh

Eli is becoming sociable. He is quite the conversationalist. (that may be the biggest word I have ever used) He definitely knows when it's his time to chime in or when everyone is ignoring him. When this happens he works himself back into the conversion somehow. The video this week is the cutest example of how this happens sometimes.

Often when Emily and I are taking and we start laughing our little man will join in. He often will just laugh at us because you know, we are funny. He will laugh with us even if we are faking it. Before you know it, we all are giggling for real.


fake laugh from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Seven

  1. I turned 29 on Saturday.  I feel much younger and older than that.  We celebrated by going on a real-live date (our first since November..oops!)  We went to the best restaurant ever courtesy of a gift certificate from Kate and Kyle.  I would like to go back there right now and then go again tomorrow.
  2. I’m dropping one pumping session a month.  I was pumping 4 times at work and then 1-2 times at home.  I’m now down to just 3 times at work and will be at 2 next week.  This is probably slower than I need to step down, but each time I drop a session the extra time feels so luxurious, I figure I’ll savor that feeling.  
  3. We took Eli swimming for the first time on Sunday.  He clung to me and mostly cried for about the first 20 minutes.  We worried a bit that we were perhaps traumatizing him permanently.  As soon as Kenny got out to go get dried so that he could take Eli and change him while I got out, Eli decided that the pool was in fact awesome.  He spent the next 15 or so minutes smiling at everybody.
  4. The great bathroom remodel continues this weekend.  I’m looking forward most to the end of Kenny’s non-stop internet research on how to tile a floor.  That and my pretty, new bathroom.
  5. Being a mother of a 1-year old is sort of strange.  Eli is significantly less physically dependent on me but has become increasingly aware of the cues that signal I’m about to go to work.  Basically, he sees me put on my coat and then wraps his tiny fingers around my heart and rips it out as I leave. 
  6. Eli’s birthday and my birthday have reminded me there are some things I haven’t done in roughly a year.  I haven’t, for instance, painted my nails because I haven’t wanted to have wet nails and not be able to pick him up.  Until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn’t left both him and Kenny at home to go anywhere other than work.  We haven’t been to a movie.  I am working on catching up on all of these areas and more as the situation outlined in #5 permits.
  7. I have quite a bit to be grateful for. 

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

As it is written so shall it be done

So kids are picky. I have been told that. I have seen that, but Eli? Yes, maybe about somethings, but food? He has always loved to eat. He may be small, but he could put some food away. That is until recently.

Now, mostly he eats carbs. Cheerios by the bowl full. Potatoes, rice, toast, bagels, and just about anything that has flour in it.

We try to cover stuff and sneak good things into his food, but most of the time a table-side dissection is executed.

I don't know why I am writing in weird paragraph form.

So it looks like it is true what they say. We have a picky baby, or toddler. I just call him crazy boy. 

Eli is still drinking mama's milk. Down to two bottles a (work) day, both at naps. Bottle service is at nap time, more for my benefit than his. He goes down real well if he is all hopped up on milk. The timing works out well too. Some day we will have to give up the nap bottle, and you can bet Eli will not be the only one crying.

When I give a bottle most of the time we are lying down and snuggling. Eli on his right side, me on my left. Face to chest winding down. It is one of the best parts of my day. All made possible by his mama, I should add. When the bottle is empty he takes the bottle with his left hand, turns, and places the bottle as far back behind him as he can. It occurred to me today that this is exactly how I would dispose of the bottle in that situation. Content in THE proper disposal of the bottle he then turns back and throws himself into my chest. Within a minute he is asleep.

My boy is picky. So am I. He will love to eat at some point. Until then we will run on Cheerios.







Saturday, March 05, 2011

Spin Spin Spin: A video

Sometimes you just to spin a boy. Eli loves this activity. If he is sad he will stop crying. If he is happy the world might explode from his joy.


Spin Spin Spin from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Almost smarter than the dogs

But not quite.  As I type this 12-month update, he is standing and whining/crying with his hand in the dog food container.  He has figured out how to open it up but can't quite reach the actual food and that is quite sad for him.  I just don't know how to comfort him.  I understand his frustration but really don't want to see him reach his goal.

In the past couple of weeks his problem solving skills seem to be improving and he is starting to play with his toys as they were intended to be played with.  He sat down yesterday and opened up a book and turned all of the pages (instead of just gnawing on it).

Of course, the big item happened this month--the first steps.  He still mostly prefers to crawl but will walk if properly motivated and the distance seems short enough.  His lady friend, Stella, was over again last night and he walked to her twice.  Will he walk to his mama?  No.  But Stella?  Hey there, Stella. Let me show you what I can do.



I think he's moved onto babbling in English.  He frequently says mamamamammama and dadadadaada and bababababa.  Sometimes he says mamammamama when I'm near.  I try to reinforce this behavior by picking him up when he does so and covering him in kisses.

My favorite development is the clapping.  Who knew this was a milestone thing that happened on its own?  Also, raspberries.  We often sit looking at each other blowing raspberries and clapping.  It's like we're finally having a real conversation.

Last Sunday we had his birthday party.  Pictures here. The menu included macaroni, applesauce, hotdogs and of course cake and ice cream.  The hotdogs were by far his favorite item.  The theme was monkeys and, somehow, he had a greater turn out than either Kenny or I would have had.

For his actual birthday, I took the day off.  He got to have his own bagel with cream cheese for breakfast and his own grilled cheese for lunch.  He also got shots on his birthday because I am a mean mommy and wanted to be able to go to the appointment with him.  He weighed 20 pounds, was 28.5 inches tall and has a 90th something percentile head (clearly required because he's so brilliant).

This has been the best year of my life.  Mamahood is awesome.



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Friday, February 25, 2011

Year of the Eli

In the land of baby blogs one most produce the obligatory baby year in review slide show video retrospective. Given that we have over 6000+ photos it made the most sense that I make the video out of the Daily Eli and Month Photos. Coming in at 7 Min and 43 seconds it may be a bit over indulgent, but as I have said in the past this is our blog and we do as we wish. Hope you enjoy.


Year of the Eli from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Year 1


How did we end up here? One year?! So much to say, but I will leave the "one year update" to mama.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Video of the Week: Using a walker is cool

Today video is sponsored by Eli's Aunt Jane. Enjoy!
Note: Eli's Aunt Jane from Dada's side. He has two.

Walking with some help! from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

So...

I got big news! Maybe you should go to my Mama's blog to find out what it is!

A Big First and True Love

My mama is in town.  This evening she, Eli and I were playing in his room when he stood up unassisted and clapped for a bit.  Standing unassisted has happened previously, but it usually only lasts until Eli realizes he's not holding onto anything.  I was pretty excited.

It was my* turn to host book club** tonight.  Our friends Patrick, Amy and baby Stella arrived first.  Amy had set Stella on the chair and Eli was standing holding onto the coffee table.  Overcome by the arrival of his betrothed, he went to her--taking his first steps!  


And I saw it!  Actually, Kenny, Amy, my mom, and I all saw it.  I had semi-resigned myself that he would likely take his first steps while I was at work and I would miss it.  Instead, Eli was kind enough to do it while we were all staring straight at him!

And it means that if Eli likes girls and Stella likes boys they totally have to get married now!  

*My turn to host, but of course Kenny did all of the cooking.  Everybody should have a Kenny.
**Book club used to be 3 to 4 of us girls getting together to actually talk about books.  Of course wine was always a big part of the club too.  Then some of us got pregnant and had babies and it became difficult to read books and also to drink wine.  

Saturday, February 05, 2011

DIY Kenny

So.  This is happening.

We're in weekend three of ye' old bathroom remodel.  I miss my husband.  

He's taken down white tile (and walls) so that he can put up new (walls and) white tile.  It's like HGTV right in my own house.

Friday, February 04, 2011

Video of the Week: No!

Whats more fun than opening disobeying your parents?

Pay back is a bitch.


No! from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

No place I'd rather be


1. We've got 18ish inches of snow and it's still coming down.  Naturally, I am working from home today. I hope to use my lunch break to build a snow structure of some sort.

2.  I'm currently sitting in my PJs, drinking coffee and Kenny is making oatmeal.  Am cozy and happy.

3.  Eli is eating roughly 50% of his cheerios and giving 25% to Leroy and 25% to Jack.  That's only fair because...

4.  I took 4 pieces of dog food out of Eli's mouth this morning.  He somehow got Leroy to abandon his food and then kept putting another piece in after I got one out.  May not have been on my A game this morning.

5.  Eli is now standing and taking the cheerios out of his high chair seat to give to the puppies and eat himself.  

6.  How do people have babies without puppies?

7.  Life is very good. 

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Video of the Week: Going to the Super Bowl

Go Pack Go! Eli has brought good luck to the Packers this year. See us celebrate our championship of the NFC. And yes I can say our championship. Our family holds Packer stock.

We are going to the Super Bowl! from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Baby is disappearing...

...and being replaced by a boy!  He is eleven months old.  

My little baby who used to go to bed at 6:30 is now busy taking apart our house until 8 or 9.  He plays hard and he sleeps hard.  If he wants to get up before us, he wiggles his little body out of the bed and onto the floor feet first.  Then he takes off and does his rounds.  Rounds in the bedroom consist of inspecting the mushroom nightlight. scratching the lamp shade, cruising around the bed, moving the alarm clock onto the floor, and then crawling out into the hallway to see if there is any danger to be had out there.  

Rounds in the living room consist of spreading out the Everyday Food magazines on the floor, spreading out the coasters, taking coasters off of another shelf and chewing on them, crawling over to his exercauser and hitting the buttons until a song plays (much prefers the songs over the animal noises), and so on.  He's just always very busy.  Much as we think he makes messes, he must think we're always moving his things.  

He loves the dogs' water bowl, daddy's beer bottle, and everything in the refrigerator and everything in my bathroom.  He throws big fits when we take these things away from him.  

This month he's started taking these monster 1.5 to 2 hour naps.  He never ever did that before.  And though it's probably more information than you'd like to know, he's also pooping all by himself--free of any and all medicinal intervention.  We are very proud parents.  

He's still fairly bald but is beginning to have enough hair that it can get messy.  

We've decided to go ahead and declare him left-handed.  He's seemed to favor his left for months now, but it's become really undeniable.  I guess that means we'll have to get some of those green handled scissors for him one day.  

Since I went back to work after New Year's, he's been taking fewer ounces of breast milk during the day.  I will not be sad when I can stop pumping at work (not stop nursing at home). 

He used to take pacifiers with Kenny when he slept.  He's lost interest in those--except for using them as the occasional chew toy.  He does often suck on his thumb--particularly after being picked up.  Really, he uses his thumb as Sherlock Holmes used his pipe--in a contemplative manner.

His vocabulary (if you can calls sounds that aren't really words a vocabulary) has exploded this month. Until recently he was seeming pretty content with the grunts and squeals.  He's begun to have entire conversations in gibberish though.  You never know when he's going to start yammering, but I love it when he does.  There was definitely a "ma" sound somewhere in his monologue yesterday.

In his opinion, the funniest thing we do is tell him "un uh."  He cackles and tosses his head back--but half the time he will stop doing what we're trying to get him to stop doing, so that's something. 

My baby boy fell asleep on me about an hour and a half ago.  I should probably take us both to bed now.





Month 11

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Video of the Week: The dismount

Why did I name it Video Tuesday? Video Of the week would have been better.

Eli has perfected his dismounts off of furniture. Enjoy.

Mad Moving #2 from Kenton Kodner on Vimeo.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Five quick ways to succeed at parenting

1. Let baby chew on an open tube of toothpaste
2. Let baby not only handle a bottle of Listerine, but somehow manage to unscrew the cap, pour Listerine into it, and put the full cap to his mouth. 
3.  Let baby escape wearing no diaper and just his arms through his sleeper.  Use said sleeper to clean up resulting puddle in the hallway.
4.  Accidentally put poopy diapers into washing machine full of clean, wet clothes. 
5.  Find baby after he's managed to unscrew the pump to a bottle of lotion and has a fist full of said lotion.
6.  Let baby get into dogs' water bowl.  Again. 

Let's just say I've been a very successful parent today.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

The Poop Song


I know three posts is three days!

Emily and I have written a new song that I think everyone will enjoy. We sing it when we go to change Eli's dipper and we find an extra special unknown surprise.

Surprise poop!
Surprise poop, the poop your didn't expect!
Surprise poop!
Surprise poop, the poop you didn't know was there!

A food Update

I thought I would share a good recipe for kids of all ages,  Broccoli & Cheese Nuggets.

Eli LOVES them. He has been eating them so fast that I never see his mouth. All I see is his fists shoving more in. The best part is they are a great sources for protein, vitamin C and soluble fiber. The recipe calls for bread crumbs, but next time I am going to use crushed cheerios to add an extra bump in nutrition. I even liked them! Hope you all enjoy!

Broccoli & Cheese Nuggets
1 16-oz Package frozen broccoli, cooked, drained, and chopped
(note: I steamed them to help keep as much nutrition in.) 
1 cup  bread crumbs + more for "rolling"
(note: I am going to try crushed cheerios next!) 
1 ½ cups Shredded cheese 
(note: I used a mexican blend, but cheddar would work nice) 
3 Large eggs or 5 egg yolks
(note:Most pediatricians say it's ok to use whole egg in a baked good when baby is over 8-9 months old without allergies. DO WHAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH!)
Seasonings if you like - garlic powder, pepper,  basil & oregano
  1. Pre-Heat oven to 375
  2. Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.
  3. Combine all  ingredients and mix well. 
  4. Shape mixture into balls the size of ping pong balls. 
  5. Fill a small bowl with bread crumbs and then roll balls in crumbs until surface is covered.  
  6. Flatten in to nuggets on  baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, turn nuggets over after 15 minutes. 



Also I should note the I modified the recipe from http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com. This site is the only baby food reference site I use. My advice to new parents that are starting solids is to read a few sites and then pick ONE that you like. You can drive yourself nuts looking up info on food and allergy. I think wholesomebabyfood.com does a good job of looking at food from all angles.