The Meyer Family

Yes it is true the human mind is aww-inspiring especially as it grows. Bryson has struck us as he has started to relate things and ideas. In the past two days Bryson has come up with the idea that you use the sign for socks and the word ball for a soccer ball and that while looking in a book with a shopping cart he signed sit down (yes, you need to sit down while in the shopping cart). When a Contractor came over to look at something for us, the man sat in the dinning room chair with Drew’s computer, and then Bryson told the man all about it. “Daddy’s Chi” “Daddy’s Cho” (Shoe) “Daddy-Daddy” at the computer. Dare anyone but Daddy touch the computer!!

 His idea of wanting something so bad that if he could use magic or “the force” he would. If he is desperate you can hear him control his crying frustration and point his finger as if he was throwing the need right out of the tip of his finger and going to sap it with sure will. At these times he really tries not to loose his cool but you can see it takes him every ounce or will he has.

 We know we can always make him smile with his Trixie (or just a picture of her) we can also just as if he want cheese.

This week we spent a lot of time at home but we also went out to gymnastics where Bryson is starting to be able to jump on his own and can climb on and off everything on his own. We also went to playgroup on Friday where he headed right for the basketball hoop as always.

 

Truly Amazing!

Bryson hits the 18 month mark today. Everyday he learns something new and surprises us. Recently he has been putting two word together. Most of the time it has been saying “bye bye trixie”, “bye bye daddy” and even saying bye bye to things like his shoes or socks. Most recently he has been telling us when he has or is going to have a wet diaper. I don’t know if we are ready for potty training, but I figure its going start here soon. Bryson got his first football this month and it has turned out to be a favorite. He is perfecting his pump fake and runs around throwing it and we are working on the catching part. Bryson had his Aunt Di visit this month. She took time during her spring break to visit. Bryson also visited Aunt Emilys for easter. Bryson had lots of fun playing with cousin Ryan and Eric. He colored eggs and found eggs during the hunt on Easter morning. New Pictures have been uploaded, check them out.

As we see spring approaching we have become like busy bees with a calm wind. We are slowly fixing up the few last things that were taken apart for the siding project. This week Drew had Monday off for Cesar Chavez Day, yes that is a real public holiday in California so we got a bonus daddy day this week. Through out the weekend we got the drywall repainted that had already been patched, hooked up the door bell and started on our termite treatment. Even though we have been busy I have been working on saying “No” to new commitments for the family or myself (I am not doing the best job but making an effort). We have defiantly been spending more time at home both from not traveling and not going out in the evenings. After working on the house on Monday we all went swimming, although it was nothing like the joys of swimming in the hot sun in Sac, it was great to have B get all tired and worn out.
Last night he slept really well and was ready to go this morning when I took him to gymnastics with his friends. He also joined me at Soroptimist since he was dead asleep when I went to drop him at daycare. He slept the whole meeting but woke up just in time for picture time, as we were taking picture for a news release. When we got home he headed for the new porch. He loves to sit on the step or just run back and forth. I decided to take a minute to work on the yard since he seemed busy on the porch. I opened the garage door and started to plant some bulbs in front of the porch, since I had told him a few times not to touch the rake he used his creative little brain to grab the large pasta spoon that was in a give away box and began to “assist” me in the planting the bulbs. We ended up spending about two hours outside looking at worms, pill bugs and rocks. It is amazing how his little mind works. AND as a bonus he was doing all of this with a fleece Cincinnati Reds hat one, it even has a chin strap!

Well I will have to say we almost missed posting this week. We were off in Sacramento for the weekend and last week Di (my sister) was out for a short visit during her spring break. Di’s visit was just 4 days but full of her, B and Dru being sick but it was still fun to have some sister time together. We just did my same old stuff, went to a doula meeting, playgroup and worked with my business counselor. I didn’t subject her to my cleaning every morning and I am still trying to recover!

Just before my sister got here on Tuesday I managed to lock myself out of the house, with Bryson in it. NOT GOOD! Luckily I was on the phone so I had it outside with me and Bryson was strapped in the high chair. Drew had to break away from work, but he was home in about 8 minutes!! Just another time to be thankful that we don’t live in a large city where Drew would drive far to work. All was ok when I got back inside, I am sure I was more frazzled than B but we are happy to say the next day our new door lock came for the front door, it is an electronic lock so I will never be locked out again. YEH!

Bryson is learning so fast! We can bareley keep up with his signs and new discoveries. He has now mastered Fish in ASL, can say duck (NOT to be confused with dog) and what his little friend, G, will just love is he now yells FOOTBALL at the site of a football. While yelling this he also shows his “pump fake” with what ever hand is free. We are working on a more organized eating and sleeping schedule just for some sanity but otherwise all is well. Bryson has seemed to fall in love with oatmeal cookies and organic rice bars and although they are better than the conventional we still would prefer he eats fruits and veggies so were are stepping up our parent game since it had gotten a little lazy with my family here and with everyone being sick in the last month.

Our trip to Sacramento this week was wonderful and our stay at Chateau de Bjers was GREAT. It included all of my must haves, a dip in the hot tub, B and I went swimming in an outdoor a pool heated to 90 degrees, I got to eat outside in the sun (not Humboldt gray skies, real hot sunburning sun) and Emily’s food, including onion dip. My nephews, Ryan and Eric, seemed to really enjoy Bryson now that he runs and talks more, Ryan (age 4) was great and sharing his toys and Eric (age 10) was wonderful with letting B climb all over him. We stopped at Ikea on the way back and ended up picking out a desk for me that I am now able to sit and work at, which should be a good thing… I hope. We then headed to Redding and B ate his first Chipotle… pics are soon to come on the website. If you don’t know Chipotle is my favorite restaurant and has been for about 12 YEARS.. so it is great to see that cool taco place spread from Denver all the way to Redding, now if we could just get one on Airport Rd and 101!!! Drew will post more pics soon!! K

Bryson turns 17 months old today! Over the past year we have been working hard on getting Bryson to use sign language for things he wants or sees. So far Bryson has quite the sign vocabulary. Here is the list. Coming soon: Bryson words

• more
• eat
• all done
• moms milk (nursings)
• Cows milk
• sock
• shoes
• hi
• bye
• dog <- A Favorite
• cat
• book <- A Favorite
• bath
• teeth brushing
• dirty
• please <- A Favorite (how can we say no when he says please?)
• water

We are trying to collect some video of Bryson doing his signs. We will post it as we get it. A collection of pictures from the past month have been added. Check them out.

It took exactly 4 weeks and it looks like we have a brand new house! Kit loves the new color and really likes the new door & porch. Throughout the project I had posted photos, if you have not seen them and are interested please check them out.

Before it started
During #1
During #2
Painting
Its Done!

Our contractor was great throughout the process and went the “extra mile” for us. They finished the last few things this morning after doing some drywall repair, removing the porta potty, and doing the last bit of work on the door lock.

This week Bryson has finally reached that wonderful toddler stage. He is exploring everything and starting to communicate very efficiently. This leads to lots of climbing and crying when he doesn’t get his way but it is sure a joy to see him learn and “chat” with us. I have now seen him climb on to the kitchen table and try to “walk” from the coffee table to the couch. Seeing his need to crawl up anything and everything I took him to gymnastics with his friends, Gio and Rocco, on Tuesday. The toddler class is just an hour but Bryson could have spent all day there! Then yesterday Bryson and I went to the McKinleyville play group. Bryson found the basketball hoop and several balls, he spent the whole hour placing the balls in the basket then chasing them as the came out the bottom. Then last night, just to burn some energy, Drew and I took him swimming at HealthSPORT. He loves the water and more importantly the balls they have floating around.  We have moved from baby proofing to toddler proofing the whole house. Speaking of the house, it is going great. The font of the house to looking amazing and we see big changes everyday. If the rain holds off we may be done in just over a week. Today I spent the day working at a fundraiser for the California Association of Midwives, we are showing the movie, The Business of Being Born. It also came out on Netflix so I would highly recommend everyone watch it or even better have a party, invite friends and watch it together. While I was at the fundraiser Drew and Bryson had a Daddy Day. They went to the Discovery Museum and to the hardware store, then for a walk.  It sounds like they had a wonderful time together and I was sad to come home tonight to a sleeping baby L  

In 2001 I bought my current house from a co-worker who was leaving the area. We agreed on a price and started the escrow process. He packed up and left in June and I was on vacation when the house escrow closed. When I returned from vacation, I was a new homeowner, but with a little surprise awaiting. Before the previous owner left I had helped him out a bit in packing things up and I knew the house would not be spotless when I took possession. So I knew what I was getting myself into. I thought…

I recently found the photos I took the first few visits of my new house. Check them out. I think its funny now, but it was a bit overwhelming when it happened.

A couple of notes. #1. Everything you see in the photos was left behind except for two things. The moving dolly and the vacuum. Everything else were “extras” that came with the house. #2. Aquariums. There was 8 of them left in the house. Some had nothing in them, some had water, some had living things in them, some didn’t. #3 Tip to everyone out there. Do not store dirt in cardboard boxes outside! #4. The kitchen mess. The previous owner had told me he had made arrangements with a mutual friend and they were going to clean the kitchen. When I saw the mess left behind I called him. During that conversation, the friend told me something a bit different. He said the previous owner told him that could come over and take anything he wanted from the kitchen. Thats quite a difference from cleaning it don’t you think? #5. The Fridge. Oh My! This was total grossness. Stuff was packed in the fridge in layers. As things were cleaned out, things started to get older and more disgusting. The eggs were left in the fridge of so long they had evaporated and the dried out yolk rattled on the inside. Frozen pizza with rising crusts should not be unfrozen and left alone, the plastic packaging will expand like a balloon. And what can I say about expired milk… Since fridge was packed in layers, things got unpacked and put directly into the dumpster, expiration dates got older. When I got to the back on the fridge I found what used to be milk. It had expired in November! Almost 8 MONTHS later. I have never cleaned a fridge so well in my life. I thought about replacing it but I would give cleaning a shot before I did. I bought so much baking soda I had to put it on plates and put them in the fridge. The cleaning and deodorizing worked and still have the fridge.