Night Night Tar Heels

It's almost September. I love September because everything is new again. I know I should get this feeling in January, but between being a student until I was was 22 (and for one miserable year later on), being married to a perpetual student, and having parents who are teachers, I have always operated on the school calendar instead.

This September newness can bring excitement about a variety of things, but in our house, front and center is the glorious new sports season. First football, followed by (but second to) basketball. I am aware of the long list of other sports, but here in Zogland, these two are the important ones. (Daddy Zog wishes I'd cave and include baseball in that list, but I just can't get into a sport that doesn't involve a play clock.)

Even more exciting than sports in general is college sports. For a girl who didn't grow up loving sports and didn't go to a big college, I sure do get excited when I hear the music that means ESPN Game Day is on my television. I admit that husband has officially converted me. And these days, in this house, college sports means one thing: GO TAR HEELS! Everyone in Zogland is ready and waiting for the new season of Tar Heel sports - even the littlest Zog. We are beaming with pride that he can name everyone on the '09 Championship Team, he even knows the coaches. We just need to work on his pronunciation of Ramses:

A Little Fall

Yesterday afternoon the Day Care Director called (never a good thing):

"Baby Zog had a little fall. He might need a little stitch. You should come get him."

So, to the daycare I went, worried about my son (and also worried about the $150 copay we'd have to dish out for a ER visit.)

Turns out - according to the five teachers that swarmed me to show concern - that he was playing with another child, tripped and fell and hit his face on the corner of the lunch/craft table. Thankfully, these tables have very rounded corners. Also good that he didn't hit his actual eye.

Because the injury is on his face, our pediatrician said we needed to take him to the ER in case a plastic surgeon would need to be involved. Not wanting to ruin his perfect, handsome face forever, we headed to the ER.

I'll save you the details, but I have to give props to the Pediatric ER at University Hospital yet again. We were in and out in under an hour. They were all kind, professional, caring and thorough. The doctor explained that he needed to make sure the area around the eye wasn't fractured, etc. I hadn't even thought of that! We left with no stitches and were told all should heal well with a minimal scar that will fade as he ages.

Oh, and the Day Care quickly made sure I knew they'd reimburse us for any out of pocket expenses. (Hmm...they must remember that Baby Zog's daddy is still a barred attorney. hee hee hee.)

He slept like a champ last night, and doesn't seem too bothered by the injury (unless he touches it on accident and then he just says, "ow.)

Although I do think he remembers falling because so far this morning, as we sit and play, Baby Zog is playing that his toys are falling. "Grover fall. Michael fall." I tell him that we pick up Grover and give him a hug and then the doctor says everything will be just fine.

We were lucky this time. I know he's going to get hurt - especially as we go through the next few years. I just pray they will all be like this one.

Funny Dance

So we were at a birthday party yesterday and while enjoying his celebratory cupcake, Baby Zog decided to break out his new "move" for the crowd. We have no idea where it came from, but it sure is funny. The best part is he KNOWS it's funny and is still doing it for us today.

Thummus

It's about 6:40 p.m. in Zogland and this is what you'll see - pretty much every night. Take a close look. Yes....that is a tub of Hummus. This is what Baby Zog eats for dinner nearly every night. In fact, these days, it's one of the few things he will actually eat. The child loves Hummus - or "Thummus" as he refers to it with hunger in his voice. We offer him a variety of other foods daily, but this is the one that lights up those brown eyes and opens that adorable mouth.

Now look even closer. Yep! You are seeing correctly. In his left hand is a tortilla chip and in his right - indeed is a spoon. As you might suspect he doesn't actually eat the chip (and thankfully he doesn't try to eat the spoon.) He merely uses these two devices as shovels for transporting the hummus to his mouth...rapidly.

Many of you are now thinking, "oh, great, he likes hummus, you can get him to dip veggies in it." Um, wrong. I've tried. He's not falling for that trick.

So, to summarize: my child eats hummus straight - with a spoon. At least 6 days a week. About a third of that tub will be gone in one meal. We live in fear of running out of hummus and keep a ready supply in the fridge.

Alas, at least he's eating...

Picture This

Thursday night I pulled out a stack of old photos to search for a cute baby pic of myself. We have to take them to work for some secret purpose (but I happen to know there is a surprise staff appreciation day next week and I'm sure these two pieces of information are connected.)

Anyway, I found this photo of a 3-year-old me. But then at the last minute I found a better photo and this photo was left on the kitchen counter.

As all things on the counter do, this photo magically found its way to the kitchen floor by the next afternoon. Baby Zog picked it up, held it up to us and said, "That's Mommy!"

He has never seen this photo before and was asleep when I was rummaging through them the previous night.

I was speechless for a brief moment and finally congratulated him on his correct observation (and for being a kind boy and gently handing the photo back to me.) All Daddy could say was, "WOW!"

So now, I have to wonder: Is this how he sees me? Do we all look like toddlers in the eyes of an actual toddler? Does he see past the age on my face to the basic elements that are still buried there somewhere? So many questions.

Regardless, it was pretty cool that he knew it was me!

Poe-Tay-Toe and Surprise

Baby Zog has two new things. Well, really I feel like he does something new daily, like today when informed Daddy it was time to go pick up Mommy from the gym. Anyway, here are the two new things:

1.) First, he is obsessed with his Potato Head toys. When we tried to teach him the word "potato," his daddy broke it down phonetically for him and it just stuck. So, they are lovingly referred to as Poe-Tay-Toe heads.

2.) Second, he has learned to show the expression of surprise. The funny part is that he doesn't know when to appropriately use it. For example:

Mommy: "Would you like some milk, son?"

Baby Zog: (opens mouth, inhales loudly and shows element of surprise)

Good stuff.

So now, enjoy this video which displays both (lucky for you, I edited out the part where he instantly throws a fit becuase he wants to see the Poe-Tay-Toe Head on the camera. Yes, he is almost two...)

Sitti + Ainee + Baby Zog = Fun

Baby Zog is sleeping soundly at the moment - blissfully exhausted from five days spent under the care of his beloved Sitti and Ainee. (Mom and Dad got away for few days). I could write about the new toys, fun trips to the kids museum, new Ernie video, bowls of frozen yogurt eaten, new songs learned and endless fun they had, but really this photo of Baby Zog wearing his Sitti's glasses sums up their time together perfectly. He had a blast being silly!

Snuffy's Fate

I've received a lot of inquiries regarding the fate of Baby Zog's new Snuffy doll. See the first video in the post below if you are not sure what I'm talking about.

If you are curious about Snuffy's fate, watch this: