Technorati Tags: Wordless Wednesday, baby food, avocado

Tebow and I are back from the Type A Mom Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. It was a really good trip for me, and I think for the most part it was fun for Tebow.

I have been pouring over other Type A Mom pictures on flickr and there are more pictures of Tebow than of me in other people’s streams, so I think he was a big hit.

One of the things that made me decide to go to the Type A Mom conference was the fact that they had child care for $35. It was called Kidcon and it was an amazing part of the weekend. I was able to drop Tebow off with licensed, caring people who were totally comfortable with dealing with his teething and quirky fussy times. On Friday he was particularly fussy with some congestion (either allergies or teething) so a worker wore him in a baby carrier so he would nap.

Mable’s Labels made up label kits for each registered child, so I was able to label all of Tebow’s bottles and what not that we took to Kidcon each morning (though I forgot to label the wipe container, but it was found easily). There were cribs for him to nap in plus Scandinavian Child donated changing tables, high chairs, and bouncers. Earth’s Best not only was having a feeding contest, but they donated baby food for kids who were on solids. There were plenty of toys from sponsors (thank you Sprig and Lamaze!), and Type A Mom partnered with local folks to come in and have a dance party on Saturday morning.

If Fuller was in the older crowd he would have seen an iRobot presentation (not about vaccums but instead about rocking robots!) or checked out some films. Instead Fuller was in Auburn enjoying his time with Damon.

I will admit to having a bit of separation anxiety on Friday when I was away from the hotel at a dinner. I actually broke down crying because I had missed Tebow and knew he was having a fussy day. The other moms I was with totally understood and let me cry it out. They offered advice and just a nice ear to listen to me.

In the time he wasn’t at Kidcon, he was busy crawling around the hotel room and making friends with Baby Dude, my roommate‘s youngest (who turned one today!). And he was trying to discover the joys of dangerous lamps and their electrical plugs.

This particular lamp was blocked by the pack ‘n play, but the other one by the TV was particularly interesting to Tebow. Creative blocking with a trashcan and the stroller helped.

Tebow slept well at night, only waking once each night, which made me so happy. I was asking people to pray for Tebow to suddenly start sleeping through the night because just two weeks before he was screaming his way to midnight each night and I knew a roommate and her son probably would enjoy the conference less if they had to listen to that. But Tebow did well in that area, so I consider the trip a success!

I told several people I would not have gone to the conference if there hadn’t been childcare. I think Type A Mom went above and beyond to make sure our kids were cared for and given an excellent experience of their own. Thanks to Kelby and all her hard work to make it happen. Tebow had a blast.

Technorati Tags: type a mom, baby travel, family travel, blogger conference, kidcon

Yesterday Fuller and I were reading on the couch. After he finished his book, he asked about his reading for the next day (we are almost done with the third BOB book box). I explained to him the reading would be up to Daddy since Mommy and Tebow would be going to North Carolina.

Fuller got quite and thoughtful. Then he started crying.

See, we had been building up for Fuller the fact he would be going to the Auburn game on Saturday. We built it up so much, he had never stopped to think about what Mommy and Tebow would be doing while he and Daddy were off cheering on the Tigers.

I explained I was going to a conference with other mommies, but he would get to have fun at the football game. He said he should go to North Carolina with me. I said then he couldn’t go to the football game. He said I should go to the football game.

Eventually logic won out (this time) and he understood he would be having fun with Daddy and probably getting some popcorn when he got to the game.

I was kind of surprised with Fuller’s reaction to my leaving. He usually jumps at the chance to hang out with just Damon and has been looking forward to going to the game ever since we got our tickets (he knew he was going to game number four).

While I was surprised, I have to admit, it felt kind of good. And when we all reunite on Sunday, the hugs will be even sweeter.

This past weekend we took a trip to Auburn to visit with my grandmother (aka Grandma Great) and her sister, Aunt Margery. Damon and I were able to take in Auburn’s win against West Virginia (and enjoyed the wonderful weather at the same time) and the boys had a blast playing with my cousins. Fuller even got to spend the night with them (the second time in his life he has been away from both of us overnight- harder for me than for him, I know!).

We drove home Sunday after church with Grandma. The traveling weather was ok for the most part, getting worse the closer we got to home. At home we left most of our stuff in the car, getting out the essentials and into the house as quickly as possible.

And now, after one day of recuperating, we are planning for next weekend. Tebow and I leave for North Carolina on Thursday morning. Damon and Fuller take off for another Auburn weekend on Friday (D will be renting a car). And we all reconvene as a family on Sunday. I have errands to run before I can go to the conference, so it seems at this point, we are all working for the weekend. And I can’t wait!

Technorati Tags: family travel, Auburn football, type A mom, Type A Mom Conference

Hi! It’s me, Tebow. I’m filling in for Mommy because lately, she has been a bit busy. I’ve been busy too! I’ve been learning to crawl, pull up, eat something called “solids” (which I don’t really like, they mess with my sleep), and I’m growing teeth.

See? Here are two of my teeth. I have one more on top, but Mommy can only see that one when I’m screaming or upside down. I’m working on another tooth, but I’m not telling which one. We will have to see when it pops through!

I am officially a “crawler” even though I get a few moves in and then plop down on my belly and slither to where I want to be.

This week Mommy and I are going on a trip together, just the two of us. I can’t wait. I’ve been better about sleeping at night (I do better when I don’t eat solid foods- funny, huh?), so she isn’t as nervous about sharing a room with another mommy and her little boy.

Well, I just got back from a very exciting weekend trip to Auburn, so I’m tired and ready for bed. Have a good week! I think I will!

I can’t pick up the camera and take a picture of this, because every time I look over at Fuller he gets embarrassed and says, “Mom! I don’t want you to look at me!” So, a word picture:

Fuller, sitting on the couch, reading books to himself. He is quietly reading out loud, but reading for his own enjoyment and not at all prompted by me.

Isn’t that a beautiful picture? The colors are crisp, the depth of field is like butter, and there are no blown out white spaces.

My son is reading to himself.

He is plowing through the books that came with his LeapFrog® Sing-Along Read-Along, which consist of mainly three letter words, focusing on short vowel sounds. In the BOB books we are on the third box and he is doing really well with the blending of sounds and learning the tricky rules of phonics.

But to me the accomplishment here (and what brought me some motherly tears) was his picking up a book and deciding to read it on his own. He didn’t ask me to read it to him and did not ask to read it to me. It was just for his own enjoyment.

That is a picture I want to keep fresh in my mind.