My buddy

Cowboy and I are buddies. When I was little, we weren't really sure what to make of one another. He was this big furry thing who either ignored or licked me, and I was a small loud thing who distracted Mama and Daddy from playing with him. But now that I'm such a big boy, we like to hang out.

I lounge on him, yank on his fur, stick my fingers in his mouth and pull myself up using his ears. I like to follow him around the house, although right now I'm not moving quickly enough to catch him. But I'll be walking and running soon, and then he'd better watch out! I also like to grab him whenever he walks by, and I stick my hands in his fur and pet him if he stands close to me. If Mama asks "Where's Cowboy?" I look for him and smile. And he sheds a lot, so I try to help out around the house by sweeping up his fur on my clothes as I scoot around the floor. Mama even cut arm-holes in a Swiffer for me to wear!

Cowboy is a really good dog and I'm glad that he's mine. Even though it's kind of icky when he licks my face (just in case, I always squint my eyes shut when he walks by -- Mama thinks I should probably close my mouth too, but I keep forgetting that part), I like him. I can't wait until I'm big enough to ride on him.

Where's my horse?

Even though I know better than to touch another man's cowboy hat, Daddy was nice enough to let me wear his.

9 months in, 9 months out

Today was my 9 month birthday, and we celebrated by having two of Mama's close friends fly long distances just to see me. Sita flew up from San Francisco and Margaret flew in from China! And Cowboy flew in from the backyard. Gosh, I must be pretty special.

OK, so maybe they didn't come here just for my 9 month day. Maybe Sita was in Seattle for a camping trip and stopped by for a visit. Maybe Margaret was really just flying home from her vacation in China. And maybe Cowboy is always around. But I prefer to think that everything was arranged around my special day.

I saw the Dude this morning too (see, everyone wanted to wish me a happy 9-month day), and he said that I'm doing really well. I'm even back on the growth chart for my weight! I dropped off the chart (to negative 3rd %) when I was 6 months old, and now I'm solidly back in the 5th % range with my hefty 17 lbs and round belly. At 27.5", I'm in the 25th % for height, and my noggin is leading the field in the 40th %. It's officially time for me to move out of my infant car seat, because I'm past the height limit even though I'm almost 10 lbs shy of the weight limit.

I got a new prescription to try to clear up the rashes on my arms and leg, and the Dude said that Mama can stop giving me my acid reflux medicine to see how I do. He checked out my nose and lip to make sure I didn't hurt myself seriously in my little tumbling incident this past weekend (everything's fine), and he was duly impressed with my sleeping and eating habits.

I didn't have to get any shots this time, which was really nice, but they did poke my heel to do a blood test to find out if I'm anemic like my Mama. I didn't even flinch when the nurse poked my heel, and the test results showed that my hematocrit level is just fine.

So that was my day! Happy 9 month day to me!

When your thumb just isn't enough

Ker-thump

Well, I had another first today. I have to say, it wasn't my favorite thing to experience. I got my first fat lip. I can't find that page in the baby book, so it must not be a standard milestone.

I got it by crawling off the bed as I was trying to reach Daddy's phone on the night stand. I haven't developed depth perception yet, so I was completely surprised when my world fell out from under me and even MORE surprised when we suddenly reconnected. And yes, both Mama and Daddy were within a couple feet of me at the time. I'm that fast.

We're on a trip to Sun Mountain Lodge, but Mama and Daddy called the Dude in Seattle to make sure that I'm OK. I cried a lot, but it was mostly because I was scared and more than a little upset about the whole situation. I got lots of cuddles, songs, and even an extra dose of the milk-drug. And I got to suck on an ice cube too! I ate my breakfast, took a nap, and now I'm as good as new (other than the fat lip).

Now we're on our way to the pool! Maybe my fat lip will help me float better.

Update at 5:40 pm
Good thing Daddy took the picture of my fat lip right after I got it, because today I've exhibited my wonder baby healing powers. My fat lip was gone by 3 PM. I went through the entire cycle of healing: fat lip > bruised swollen lip > bruised unswollen lip > unbruised unswollen (i.e. normal) lip. My nose is still a little red and my normally cheery personality is a bit on the edge, but otherwise I'm doing just fine.

Now I can tell people that yes, I do my own stunts.

I call him "Blue"

OK, so maybe I wasn't as clever as I could have been when I named my favorite stuffed dog. But he's one of the first toys I got and my vocabulary was a bit limited at the time! My Uncle Patrick and Aunt Kimberly gave him to me when I was a newborn, and we've been inseparable since. He hangs out in my crib and we snuggle when it's time to sleep. The only strange thing is that he seems to be getting smaller. He used to be half as long as me, and now he's only as long as my leg. Odd.

November 18, 2007 (2 weeks old)

July 23, 2008 (37 weeks old)

...and I'll have yours too

This morning, Mama gave me a double-serving of my oat cereal with pear. I ate it all, and then I ate half of Mama's oatmeal with blueberries.

As you can see, eating solids has not been a problem with me so far. I will eat pretty much anything you give me, and if I don't like the taste, I'll grimace but I'll keep eating. Once, I even threw a temper tantrum during dinner (Mama took the spoon away from me), but that didn't stop me from eating. I'd scream and cry but keep my mouth wide open like a bird. Mama would give me a bite and I'd close my mouth to swallow, but I kept screaming with my mouth closed ("MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! MMMMMMM-MMMMM-MMMMMMM!!!"). When I was done swallowing, I'd start screaming out loud again. I ate my entire dinner like that.

That was only once though. Normally I am very well-mannered and happy to eat. Of course, by "well-mannered" I mean "grabbing everything I can reach and sticking my fingers in my food so that I can smear it on my face".

Here are some pictures of me before a meal, excited to be in my high chair because I know what's coming.

On the move

In honor of my military family heritage, I've decided to employ a modified Army crawl as my preferred method of mobility. It's not a true Army crawl, as I am currently choosing to use only my left arm to pull myself across the floor. That means that I end up a bit to the left of wherever I'm trying to go, but I can usually correct my course or do a few rolls to get back on track if necessary. I might consider using my right arm at some point, but for now I'm doing just fine. I get where I'm going and I can use my right arm to reach for or hold onto toys as I move.

A surefire way to get me to move is to put Mama or Daddy's cellphone anywhere near me. I covet the Blackberry. Is this why it's called a "Crackberry"? All I know is that I'm addicted. I can spot it from across the room, and I will do anything I can to get to it so that I can push the buttons and try to chew on it.

Captured on video for the first time

She got me.

I was happily babbling away in my BOB while Mama took pictures of me with her little PhD ("Push here, Dummy") camera. I'm so used to her taking pictures that I didn't think anything of it until I realized that she was pointing the camera at me for an awfully long time, and she wasn't pushing the button. That's when I remembered that she can film short videos with her camera too. Nooooo! I was planning to keep my little babbling talent a closely-guarded secret, maybe selling first video rights to the highest bidder sometime later this summer when I need a few bucks for new toys.

Alas, my plans have been foiled. Here's the incriminating video, showing a few seconds of my babbling. Note how I nonchalantly look around as I state my opinion (much like my Daddy), and especially how I utilize the full range of motion of my mouth (also like my Daddy). I end with a few cool-down stretches of my mouth, because I know that it's just as important to ramp down as it is to warm up.



And just for fun, here's another video. I start with just a hint of babbling and mouth stretches, followed by some single -- and then double -- leg kicks. I then let out some squeaks and squeals, sending a quick supersonic shout-out to my dolphin and dog buddies (Wassup, Cow?). As a finale, I give an impressive show of foot-in-mouth flexibility. It doesn't get better than this.



So there you have it: my babbling, caught on film. I have to remember to keep an eye on Mama. She's a crafty one.

Oh!

Today I finally managed to get some toasted oat cereal in my mouth! Mama has been putting them on my Bumbo tray to let me grab, because she knows that I'm developmentally ready to eat them once I can pick them up and feed them to myself. Prior to today, I just banged on the tray to make them fall off, or I'd scoop one up in my hand and smush it. But today I decided to do what Mama does: I picked up one "oh" very carefully and put it in my mouth. Then I did some magic trick (Mama's not sure what I did, because it did not appear to involve any chewing) and the "oh" was gone! I looked at Mama for more, so she put another one on my tray. She let me do my magic trick on three of them before she decided that it was making her too nervous because she couldn't tell if I was chewing, swallowing or just saving them in my mouth to choke on later. She let me chew on her finger for a bit (although it felt suspiciously like she was checking around inside of my mouth for stray "ohs"), then she even let me have an extra fix of the milk-drug (making sure my throat was clear?) before she put me down for my nap.

Oh yeah, I pick them up with my left hand. Mama's not sure if that means anything yet. While I may show a preference for my left hand right now, it's still a little too early to determine if I'm a true lefty like my Uncle Jim.

Triops has three eyes...

...and I've slept through three nights! Maybe this will be my regular pattern. It seems to work out pretty well, although Mama is wondering if I'm getting up too early or too late. I go to bed at 6:30 PM and get up around 6:30 or 7 AM. Then I nurse voraciously (it's been a long night!) and I start complaining and getting cranky and wanting to take a nap by 8 AM. So Mama's wondering if I'm really UP up at 7 AM, or if that's just when I want to nurse and then I should go back to bed for a little while. Or perhaps I'm actually up at 6 AM and just hanging out in my crib, which is why I'm already tired again by 8 AM. That theory may have some merit, considering that when Mama or Daddy get me out of my crib in the morning, I've pulled all of the stuffed animals down and have them strewn about the crib.

I've also started babbling. Before, I was saying sounds like "mmm mmm" and "nyum nyum" and "SHRIEK!!!", but now I say, "BAAA BAA BAAA BA BA BAAAAA". And when I say it, I make sure to open my mouth really wide and hitch my jaw to the side. Mama says it makes me look like a drunken sailor. She's trying to get a video of me babbling, but every time she pulls out the camcorder, I stop. Because this is my thing and I will not allow my talents to be exploited.

If you're wondering about the title of this post, it's referring to a song by They Might Be Giants that we really like. Mama's friend Sita gave me the CD and we listen to it all the time in the car. I was thinking of it this morning because I finally got to meet Sita yesterday! We went for a long walk around Gasworks Park, the Burke-Gilman trail and Fremont and Mama and Sita had a nice time catching up. I had a nice time chewing on my monkey blanket. And pulling on Sita's necklace and bracelet. I was going to go for her hair, but Mama rescued her from me before I got that far.

No need to worry about Cowboy

People often ask Mama and Daddy how Cowboy is with me. Here's a video that does a pretty good job of illustrating our relationship. He likes to be nearby and watch me, and sometimes he gives me a lick or two, but he generally leaves me alone. He knows to leave my toys alone and he never tries to get on my play mat or come into my room.

I, on the other hand, try to grab and pull and tug on him whenever possible. Since I can't crawl yet he's got the upper hand (paw?), but soon I'll be able to chase after him.

Roll-y + grabby = toys for me

Here's a video of me showing off my rolling + grabbing skills. Although I can't crawl yet, I manage to get around pretty well in order to get the toys I want. And of course, the reason I get the toys is to immediately insert them into my mouth. My motto is, after all, "Go in my mouth."

All night long!

Well I did it. I slept through the entire night without getting up for my milk-drug. I went to bed at 6:30 PM (with a bit of fussing, so I didn't actually go to sleep until a little after 7 PM), and didn't get up for food until 6:30 AM. Way to go, me!

This might be a fluke, however. I haven't yet decided if I intend to do this on a regular basis.

Here's a little something to show you just what a cheery guy I am (when I'm not throwing a temper tantrum because Mama or Daddy took something away from me):

Wait for it...

After such unabashed cuteness yesterday, Mama's making me post a video that shows the other side of my charming personality.

I'm learning new skills all the time. While Oliver has 2 teeth, Jammy is finger-walking, and Lilah is pulling herself up, what is my latest accomplishment? Tantrums! Oh yes, can I ever throw a tantrum.

Here's a video of me expressing my thoughts about Mama taking a piece of peach away from me. You may think at first that the sound isn't on, but don't worry. You'll hear me loud and clear within moments.

Happy Happy!

Happy 4th of July to you! And happy 8 month birthday to me! Here's a quick video of me hanging out in my 4th of July outfit from Gramma Hill. I'm really cute. And now I even answer when Mama says "Hi" to me. I don't say any words yet, but I either grunt (like my Grampa Walt) or yell (like my Daddy).



In other news, I've been conned. I don't know how she did it, but today Mama got me to eat a whole serving of peas all by themselves. No pears mixed in or anything! I was halfway done before I realized what was going on, but by then it was too late to fuss about it. Besides, they're actually not that bad.

I also got to eat some brown rice mixed with pears, which I REALLY liked (I'm thinking the "pear" thing has a lot to do with it). And since I'm such a big boy now, I got to eat solids at breakfast time too! So now I'm eating three solid meals a day, plus nursing 6 times a day. My days are really filling up! I'm only up for 12 hours out of every day, and with my 3 meals + 6 nursings + 3 naps, I pretty much have something scheduled for every single hour that I'm up. Who knew life could be so busy for an 8-month old?

Yesterday, I got to meet new baby girl Madeline. She's a really pretty girl! I touched her foot, but she ignored me. Only 5 days old and she's already playing hard to get. Mama told me that I always have to be a gentleman with her, or her daddy will come after me with a shotgun. Her daddy laughed, but I could tell he was serious about it too. I'd better be polite.

Keystone State

As I mentioned in my last post, Mama, Daddy and I went back to Pennsylvania last week so that I could meet all of my PA family and get baptized. We spent all day Thursday flying (and even did a surprise stop in Cleveland!) and then got to spend Friday through Sunday with my Grampa Walt and Grandma Joan. I also got to meet Allison, Travus, Gaia, Matt, Melissa, Kylie, and Lindsay, and I got to spend lots of time with Buncie and Kenny too. It was really fun to meet everyone and show them how handsome I am and how good I am at screeching and squawking.

I was hoping to meet my Uncle Jim and Lone, but the same storms that caused our diversion to Cleveland on Thursday shut down the airspace in New York City on Saturday.

Baptism

I'm a baptized boy!

Mama, Daddy and I went back east so that I could be baptized with my Grampa Walt, Grandma Joan and my Pennsylvania family at my great-grandma's church in Sharon, PA. Pastor Tom had a really nice beard like my Grampa's, and I was so comfy in his arms that I almost fell asleep during the baptism. Everyone said I was so good and didn't complain at all during the baptism (but they didn't know that Mama's been practicing with me in the bathtub to make sure that I don't mind having water sprinkled on my head).

Here's a video of part of my baptism. I'll write more about my visit with everyone soon, but right now I need to take a nap -- I have to rest up after a long day of travel!

Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming

Today was my first swim lesson, and I'm still deciding what I think about it. This whole swimming thing is interesting. It's like taking a bath in a giant lukewarm tub, with 20 other people. And no soap.

I don't mind the water, but I'm not exactly splashing with joy yet either. I spent the entire class watching everyone, taking it all in. The teacher said that it's cute how mellow I am, just checking things out while Mama pulled me around the pool and sang silly songs to me.

Cute? I'm not cute. Babies are cute. And I'm a big boy swimmer. Besides, part of the reason I was so mellow is because I was half-asleep. Swim class starts right when I usually go down for my mid-morning nap. Maybe next week I'll take a nap in the water -- it is kinda relaxing in there.

Don't get too comfortable

Today was a doozy of a day! After several weeks of following my nap schedule like clockwork (down at 8:30am, 11:30am, and 3pm), I decided that I was having none of that nonsense today. Especially since Mama had several things scheduled throughout the day -- I think she's getting way too comfortable, assuming that she knows what to expect of me. It's time to mix it up a bit.

I started off by waking up 1-1/2 hours early for my nighttime milk-drug session. Mama tried to just soothe me back to sleep, but I made it very clear that I would not relax until I got my fix. Once I was satiated, I went back to sleep until my normal 6:30am wake-up time. Mama and Daddy thought things were back on track, but I had a big morning planned!

When Mama tried to put me down for my nap at 8:30am, I kicked it into high gear. I started complaining, and then quickly ratcheted it up to a full screaming tantrum. Mama tried every trick in the book (wait to see if I could soothe myself, check on me briefly without picking me up, sing my favorite lullaby to me, rub my belly and legs, finally pick me up and rock me) but I wasn't going to give in that easily. I continued to cry until 11:45am, when I finally fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion. By that point, I'd been rocked, sung to, nursed, fed my favorite meal of pear-cado, kissed, snuggled, read to... I was having a pretty good day. After all, the entire morning was all about ME! And Mama had to skip our yoga class and postpone our date to meet Oliver and his mom.

Mama thought I was going to wake up after an hour, so she made plans to meet Oliver and his mom in the early afternoon. Ha! I slept for almost 3 hours, sabotaging her plans again. When I got up, I ate and then picked up with the whining and crying again. I was losing steam though -- it's hard to be cranky for so long! So I let myself be entertained, and when Daddy came home things were pretty much back to normal. I had my dinner, bath, milk-drug, bedtime story, and then went to bed.

I can't decide if I'm going to do it again tomorrow. I have my first swim lesson in the morning, so there's plenty of opportunity to throw a first class fit. Hmmm, I'll have to think about this...