HAPPY B-DAY TO MEEEEEE!!!

I won't be blogging for a few days. My 30th birthday is this coming Sunday. Jon planned a little surprise for me. He had it all planned out, booked the tickets, got us a hotel room and even called my mom and asked her to take off work to come and babysit. It was all supposed to be a surprise and he was going to give me the tickets at dinner on Saturday night, but I accidentally found out. What happened is that he ordered tickets over the internet for us to go see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but they emailed a confirmation to him and I had no idea and opened the email and found out. We had been wanting to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra perform and some how Jon found out that they were going to be in Houston, TX on the night of my birthday (Dec. 17). So when I found out I was a little freeked out about leaving Dominick over night, I even hinted to my mom that they should go to Houstom with us and they could just stay at the hotel and babysit Dominick there. But after last weekend seeing how much Dominick could care less about me when around my mom, I feel fine. I'm just gonna miss him, especially at 8:00 PM when I'm not there to put him to bed. My parents will be coming into town tomorrow and take me out to eat and then Jon and I will leave Sunday and return on Monday. Houston is about a 4 hour drive from our house.

Dominick went with me to my school today and was exhausted after being around so much action and so many people. This is him sleeping when we got back home.

This shirt says "Nosey Hedgehog". We need to have a shirt made that says "Screaming Monkey". He has this terrible habit of SCREAMING for no apparent reason. Not hollering or yelling, but SCREAMING as loud as you could possibly imagine. Sometime it is because he doesn't want to sit in his high chair or something, but usually it is for no reason at all. So I asked his pediatritian if there was anything I could do and he said it was definitely not too early to start teaching consequences. He said to either ignore him, say NO, or stick him in his crib for a few minutes, but definitely not to give him what he wants when he's screaming. Well, saying NO definitely does not work. Dominick will say it back to me in the same exact tone I said it. So I have been walking away or picking him up and putting him in his pack-and-play until he stops screaming. It has actually gotten a lot better. I also say NO SCREAMING, and try to teach him sign language and hand signals for "more" (when he wants more food or cheerios) and "no more" when he doesn't want anymore food, and a sign when he wants to get out of the highchair or wants to be held. If I am about to give him another bite of food and he starts screaming, I put the spoon down, cross my arms, and say "NO SCREAMING" and them I do the sign for more. It is actually really working. He's doing all the signs I've taught him. Of course I cheer and dance when he does them so he likes them. He also likes to wave his hand in our dog Mickey's face and them he will stick his finger in Mickey's mouth when Mickey is growling at him, which is very dangerous b/c Mickey could bite him one day. So I immediately say NO and put him in his pack-and-play and it is working. I can definitely tell he understands. I see WAY too many BAD children at my school and I will not sit back and allow my child to be like them. I know Dominick will not be perfect, but I will do my best to teach him self-control and how to behave appropriately.

Dominick was repeatedly saying "Meeee" for Meow and pointing at a stuffed cat that was sitting on the table.

And here he is with his stuffed cat blowing a kiss to him Momma.