Long story short: Scott traded his Xbox for a Wii. Love it! I've never been a big video game person, but the wii is nothing like a traditional video game system. You basically have to be moving to play any of the games. Scott had Tiger Woods Golf on the Xbox and had gotten pretty good with those two thumbs. On the Wii, he now has to stand up and swing his full arm to play the game. This added movement doesn't seem to help me be any more successful at the games, but it does make me more interested in sitting down (well standing) to play.
It will be interesting to see how much we use the Wii-fit part, but I can really see how it is motivating. Every time you log on, it gives you a rundown of how often you have been exercising. As you spend more time exercising, you "unlock" additional exercises and games to try. The hoola hooping is a riot.Friends, come on over and play!Owen loves the Guitar Hero accessories. Guitar:
Drums:
What happens when he tries to climb the drums:
Unfortunately, that scab in in a spot that gets a lot of interaction - hands, utinsels, zippers - I think the scab has been ripped off 3 or 4 times in the past week. Man, chins can bleed a lot! On a side note: I have "What Not to Wear" on the background, and Nick is recommending the person add bangs to their hairstyle for the 12 zillionth episode in a row. So much for tailoring the style to fit the person.
I've written and posted pictures before about Cisco, aka "The Most Tolerant Cat in the World." He's the cat with the claws that puts up with slobbery toddler kisses, pulling ears, feet to the gut, tugging of tails, and full body tackles. I started posting about Owen's relationship with Cisco when Owen was just 4 months old. At that point, we thought it was funny to put a 10 pound Owen on the 16 pound cat. Little did we know that that relationship would not have changed. They continued to snuggle (wrestle?) when they were matching weights, and now we have a 22.5 pound Owen on that 16 (or is it 17 or 18) pound cat. No worries, Cisco is holding his own and only offers a cautionary swat once in a while.
As a baby kitten, Cisco love to hide in, under, and below anything he could fit in. At that time, he would race around under our couch. Now, he just takes full advantage of empty boxes, laundry baskets, and suitcases. Strange, those are the same things Owen is in love with these days.
We hope that someday Hudson will like Owen as much as Cisco and I'll be able to post a more common post on the theme of "A Boy and His Dog," but for now we are happy that Owen has at least one furry creature to snuggle up with. (As a side note: on a recent crabby day Hudson was lying in his bed and Owen was wandering looking for a place to settle. I heard a whine from the dog bed, and saw Owen resting his head - and contentedly grinning from ear to ear - on Hudson's back. Hudson got big dog treats for allowing that interaction, so I think there's hope yet for the two of them to become lifelong friends.)
But the dog will probably have to sit still first...
We had Owen's 18-month check-up last week. He's doing great. Holding steady in the 10th percentile at 22.5 pounds and 31 inches. He hasn't gained any weight in the last three months, but has stretched 3 inches since the summer. I think he grew 2 of those inches since Christmas! With another haircut and those extra inches, he's really looking like a "boy." In fact, Shawndi walked into playgroup last week, looked at me, looked at Owen and said, "Who's that?" Never mind the fact that she's seen Owen almost every week since birth - she didn't recognize him!
Here's that new haircut before and after. Scottie's barber shop has officially gone from one to two clients.
Every time we make a visit to our doctor, I am reminded how happy I am with our pediatrician. They're just fantastic. So I bring you...
Ten Reasons why we love BMC Pediatrics:
1. Their office is small - only 3 doctors right now. When we call for an appointment, we see OUR doctor. When we need to get in for a same day appointment, we see our doctor or the PA (who is also fabulous).
2. They care about overall health. At our appointment, Dr. Vaughan made a point to ask about our family, jobs, the holidays, etc before focusing on Owen's physical heath. I'm sure this is to check for family stress warning signs, but it is great to know that he's thinking about all the things that play into overall health, not just whether Owen's ears and nose are clear.
3. We are KNOWN. When I call on the phone and introduce myself, Tracy says, "Hi, how's Owen." Not, "How do you spell your name?" "Are you a patient with us?" or some other question that makes you feel like a number instead of a person.
4. The nursing staff are amazing. They are warm, welcoming, and enthusiastic to see us. You could say that this is because I am personal friends with Diana, but I notice the same warmth and enthusiasm for every other family walking in the door.
5. They are respectful of personal space and attitudes. For this appointment, Owen just wanted to sit on my lap, and Dr. Vaughan didn't push it. He played peak-a-boo with Owen before doing any exam. He pretended to put the instruments in his own ears before looking in Owen's, and he generally let Owen set the pace and warm up to the exam before moving forward.
6. I never feel silly asking questions. Either in person or on the phone, I never feel like my questions are a waste of time.
7. Great age appropriate handouts and follow-up info. At every well-child visit, we get a packet with Owen's stats and key info on the front. I've looked through the handouts numerous times when I have questions about development milestones, feeding solids, discipline, etc.
8. We never feel rushed. Ever.
9. It is calm, calm, calm in that office. Only a few doctors means on-time appointments and not having to share a waiting room with 6 other sick kids and their rambunctious siblings.
10. I always feel like I am in control. I had lots of vaccine questions early on, and that was no problem. Dr. Vaughan took the time to answer my questions and share his opinions. Even now, when I'm all comfortable with the vaccine schedule, he still takes the time to talk me through each vaccine and confirms that I'm in agreement with what Owen is getting.
All this reminds me that I need to call them tomorrow and find out if we can blame splotchy skin and 4 days of grumpiness on last week's vaccines...
It will be interesting to see how much we use the Wii-fit part, but I can really see how it is motivating. Every time you log on, it gives you a rundown of how often you have been exercising. As you spend more time exercising, you "unlock" additional exercises and games to try. The hoola hooping is a riot.
What happens when he tries to climb the drums:
Unfortunately, that scab in in a spot that gets a lot of interaction - hands, utinsels, zippers - I think the scab has been ripped off 3 or 4 times in the past week. Man, chins can bleed a lot! 
