Eight Months. That's how long he has been out, breathing air, alive in the truest sense. It seems like such a short time, but it is the better part of a year. When I examine today and yesterday side by side it seems that nothing much has changed. Or nothing at all. But if I look back a little further, say four months ago, so much has changed that it seems he is a completely different person. Wow, baby, you sure have grown!
Ruckus still isn't crawling in the conventional sense. He sure can move though. There is no 'You stay there for a minute while mommy goes and does x, y, and/or z!'. That can't happen now, and likely won't happen again for I don't know, many many long years to come. Like 14 years, minimum.
If I put him in his crib he uses the slats to try to stand up. He pulls himself up awkwardly, so determined, then loses interest or his balance and he tumbles down. He has a lot of work to do on his coordination. This is good for me right now but I know that like all of the other challenges he has faced (rolling over was a big one) he will soon conquer this and it will be but a distant and fading memory. When he is not trying to pull himself up with the slats he is shoving his feet in the openings between them. Most of his time spent in his crib is with one or both legs hanging completely outside the crib, in between the slats, sometimes twisted in an opposite direction of his body, which looks terribly uncomfortable. He does not know how to get out of these awkward positions by himself.
If I lay him on his changing table I have to fasten the safety strap, which I wanted to cut off when he was first born because it was always in the way. Now it is the only thing saving his tiny head from being forcibly slammed on the floor as he seems determined to leap from the table without regard to self preservation. I know this is because he has never fallen, has never been injured, and that if he had been he might not be so ready and willing to take the plunge, but I cannot think of a safe way to teach him these lessons. He is too little to let him experience the falls that teach us important lessons of what not to do with our bodies. So I strap him in and he twists and turns and struggles against the strap until he is face down on the table and I am forced to put his diaper on the hard way, with his bottom facing up. I am getting pretty good at this.
If I have him sitting on my lap I must keep a good grip on him, or always have that good grip readiness in the back of my mind, because out of seemingly nowhere he will lunge forward or to the side, to where if I am not holding him he will surely end up in a heap on the floor. Exciting! I also have to keep everything out of his reach, while still being able to reach it myself, so that I can turn the TV channel or sip my coffee without him gumming the remote to death or spilling my coffee in his eagerness to Get That Thing Mom Has. He loves to Get my necklaces too, so I have to be very careful around him when I am wearing a choker, or it lives up to its name.
My dog and Ruckus seem fascinated by each other which I consider to be both a good and bad thing. The dog weighs over 100 lbs., so it will be a very long time before I allow the dog and the baby to play together, which means that I will be spending a very long time trying to keep them apart. I recently got our dog a toy which he loves to play with. For the most part the dog plays with his toy independently. The other day he left his toy near a pile of baby toys before heading off to bed for the night. Ruckus stayed up for a while, and ended up playing with the dog's toy. When I saw this I put the dog's toy up so that a) Ruckus would not get attached to the toy, and b) Ruckus would not be caught by the dog playing with the dog's toy. The next morning, the dog's toy was not where the dog had left it, so the dog grabbed the nearest replacement, a small stuffed Tigger that happens to belong to Ruckus. !!! So in less than 12 hours I had to take the baby's toy from the dog, and give the dog's toy back to the dog which I had to take from the baby. Obviously I have my work cut out for me in keeping these two worlds from colliding. It is like having two kids, but one kid has large teeth and a tail, and the other kid is just a kid who doesn't know any better and is very vulnerable.
For Ruckus' 8 month 'birthday' we had yogurt this morning, with some peaches. He liked it. We will probably have some more tomorrow morning, even though tomorrow will be just a regular day. And I like that. I like that our routine is slowly evolving and becoming more rich with things like fighting to keep from being choked to death by my necklace and picking out a flavor of yogurt and snacks I think the baby will like. I like that I had to buy Ruckus new pajamas last weekend because he couldn't straighten his legs in any of his old ones anymore. It is these little things that sneak up on us that we can either notice or not, they aren't particularly important after all, but if we do notice them our lives will be that much more rich and full.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Routine Bliss
I wake up. It is light outside. I can't find the clock. He hears me stirring, and opens his eyes. A little smile flashes across his face. I make coffee while Dad takes over.
A few minutes later I find him sitting in his crib, playing with an inflated ball with a hard ball inside, two balls in one. He is happy in spite of needing a fresh diaper. I grab him up and he clings to the ball as I carry him to his changing table. I change him and he plays all the while, ignoring me and focusing only on his toy. I button him up and carry him to the living room, and set him down amongst other toys on the floor. I sit with him.
He takes a quick look around at his other options and continues playing with the ball, although he does release his grasp so that he can roll it around on the floor. Soon he is lying down, rolling here and there while he plays. Two quick rolls and he is hugging my leg. He twists and reaches, batting the ball around, testing his skills. Three rolls in the other direction and within a second he goes from my leg back to sitting a few feet away.
He picks up his new sippy cup and thumps it on the floor. No water escapes. He slams it into the TV stand, the floor, the Bounce, Bounce, Baby. He drops the sippy and rolls around some more. A blink and he is attacking a piece of furniture near the kitchen. He grasps the small ring handle on the lowest drawer, fiddling with it. It is now loose and needs to be tightened. I roll him back to his toys. A moment later and he is off in the opposite direction, chewing a power cord. He is angry when I pull him away. I laugh, and give him kisses.
Soon it is time to go. I hug him close and kiss him too many times. I should act like leaving is nothing, but it isn't. I will miss him. I wave goodbye through the window. He notices me and then looks away, so curious about all the world has to offer, and this scene is one he sees every day. He looks up at me a few more times before I am out of sight. I say prayers that he will be safe until my return, and long after.
A few short hours and I will be home again to see his little face in the window. When I come close he will grab both of my cheeks and give me a 'kiss'. It will be messy and I won't care. He will tug on my hair and reach for me, and I will drop my things on the table so I can hold him close.
It is all I had hoped for and more.
A few minutes later I find him sitting in his crib, playing with an inflated ball with a hard ball inside, two balls in one. He is happy in spite of needing a fresh diaper. I grab him up and he clings to the ball as I carry him to his changing table. I change him and he plays all the while, ignoring me and focusing only on his toy. I button him up and carry him to the living room, and set him down amongst other toys on the floor. I sit with him.
He takes a quick look around at his other options and continues playing with the ball, although he does release his grasp so that he can roll it around on the floor. Soon he is lying down, rolling here and there while he plays. Two quick rolls and he is hugging my leg. He twists and reaches, batting the ball around, testing his skills. Three rolls in the other direction and within a second he goes from my leg back to sitting a few feet away.
He picks up his new sippy cup and thumps it on the floor. No water escapes. He slams it into the TV stand, the floor, the Bounce, Bounce, Baby. He drops the sippy and rolls around some more. A blink and he is attacking a piece of furniture near the kitchen. He grasps the small ring handle on the lowest drawer, fiddling with it. It is now loose and needs to be tightened. I roll him back to his toys. A moment later and he is off in the opposite direction, chewing a power cord. He is angry when I pull him away. I laugh, and give him kisses.
Soon it is time to go. I hug him close and kiss him too many times. I should act like leaving is nothing, but it isn't. I will miss him. I wave goodbye through the window. He notices me and then looks away, so curious about all the world has to offer, and this scene is one he sees every day. He looks up at me a few more times before I am out of sight. I say prayers that he will be safe until my return, and long after.
A few short hours and I will be home again to see his little face in the window. When I come close he will grab both of my cheeks and give me a 'kiss'. It will be messy and I won't care. He will tug on my hair and reach for me, and I will drop my things on the table so I can hold him close.
It is all I had hoped for and more.
Monday, May 14, 2012
A Visit With Grandma
I had a nice weekend with my family over the past couple of days, and it was hard to leave home this morning. But knowing that my husband and baby will be at home waiting for me to come home is a nice feeling and motivates me to get through my work days.
Saturday was spent at home with Dad and Ruckus, just doing laundry and playing, and eating, and playing. Ruckus is more active every day and delights in the simple things in life, like clapping, and rolling on the floor. He enjoys pulling my hair and hitting toys with other toys, and cracked up hilariously when he pulled himself up to a standing position using the bars of his crib.
These are exciting times for him, and scary times for his parents, as he is learning quickly how to control his movements and will soon be zipping around the house, wrecking havoc on all within his reach. The child-proofing must begin in earnest. I think the biggest risks are things that Ruckus can fall off of or out of, and things that Ruckus can hit, kick or pull down onto himself. I have never been inclined to empty my house of things because a baby is around, but there are certain changes that have to be made in order to maximize the safety of the little guy so that Dad or I can go to the bathroom by ourselves without worrying that the kid is going to be crushed under something or drinking poison. This is at the top of the To-Do List.
Sunday was Mother's Day so I got up early and showered, then gave Ruckus a bath. He barely fits into his baby bath now so there is a lot of splashing and water displacement while getting cleaned up. He really seems to enjoy his bath time and fights for control of the washcloth and shampoo. It is fun until you try to take these things away from him, as he is a little possessive of anything he can gets his hands on. After the bath it is time for Ruckus to roll around on the floor and fight getting his diaper put on, and dressed. Sometimes this extends dressing time a whole ten minutes or so, which can be stressful if you are under a time crunch. I try to plan ahead so that we have ample time to goof off while getting dressed because really, what's the rush? Let the kid squirm and wriggle and be a silly baby while he has the chance.
After his bath Ruckus finished off a bottle and played for a while, while I packed his bag and things into the Jeep for our planned day out with Grandma. It always amazes me how many things a baby might need for a half day adventure out of the house. It is better to have what you need than miss it though, so the baby bag gets packed to bulging every time. Add to that the stroller and car seat and it makes me very thankful to have a Jeep to haul us all around in!
We left around 9 o'clock and headed for the store to get flowers for my mom. Ruckus helped choose a pretty mini orchid and we set off for Grandma's house. He usually looks out the window and chatters at me as we drive along. Having the mirror set up in the backseat has made me a lot more comfortable while driving as I can see what he is up to without having to pull over and twist around in my seat.
Grandma was happy to see us and liked the flower Ruckus picked out for her, and her Mother's Day card. We three soon set off for the museum, excited to see the King Tut exhibit that we'd heard about on the news, and to spend a little time together.
We got to the museum a little after 10 and found that they didn't open until 12. Oops! We quickly came up with a Plan B and went up the street to get something to eat and occupy ourselves for a little while. We sat and chit chatted while we ate our food, and Ruckus napped in my lap for a bit. The museum is situated in a great big park which is in bloom right now, as it has been a nice Spring, so after lunch we went back to the Park and parked near the Arboretum and put Ruckus in his stroller so we could take a little walk among the trees and flowers.
In addition to it being a beautiful day for a walk in the park, it was also an ideal day for people watching. There was a huge variety of people to check out in the park, a small group in Renaissance costumes enjoying a picnic lunch with like minded compatriots, a young couple out with friends for a photo shoot, perhaps for Prom or an Engagement album, a little girl in her Sunday best, peering into a pool of water shaded in trees. We sat for a while in the grass while Ruckus drank his bottle, and looked at the birds and the people who passed by while we talked. It was a very enjoyable visit with my mom.
As it got closer to noon we headed back to the car, so we could drive one block over and park at the museum. We were happy to see that the museum was opening as we got there, and that there weren't too many people ahead of us in line. We loaded Ruckus back into his stroller and went in. Because my mom and I are both mothers we got in for free, and Ruckus was free as he is under age 2. Score!
The King Tut exhibit was very interesting and Ruckus behaved himself marvelously for a baby in a museum. See details of the museum here. Many of the artifacts were placed too high for Ruckus to see at all so it must not have been particularly entertaining for him, but he managed to charm some of the other museum goers and didn't scream in the big echo-y rooms so I consider it a success. My mom and I had a good time looking at all of the things on display, and the short break in the gift shop was fun because of the other people shopping there. Museums really don't have much to offer to the average child and this was very apparent here.
Some of the children who were old enough to behave themselves weren't behaving at all and it made me wonder when I would be able to take Ruckus to another museum, as soon he will be into everything and will not be able to quietly disguise his boredom in the face of old dusty things that us adults seem to enjoy.
After the gift shop we toured the rest of the Wilbur D. May collection which included artifacts from his trips around the world. Some of these were cool to see and some collections were just odd because they didn't seem to fit into the theme at all, which seemed to be something along the lines of Primitive Societies and Unexplored Wilderness. For example, there was a small collection of pretty glass things from Europe stuck in amongst masks and busts of the wild beasts of Africa, and old guns and a Polar Bear from North America.
After we had seen all of the exhibits we left the museum and went back to my mom's house so that I could take photos of her kitchen (it is being re-done today), and pictures of her with her grandson. Ruckus loves visiting with Grandma and seemed to enjoy himself all day long.
Ruckus fell asleep in the car on the way home so I laid him in bed with his daddy, who was also napping when we got there. I kicked my feet up for the rest of the day and really enjoyed my time with my little family.
I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!!
Saturday was spent at home with Dad and Ruckus, just doing laundry and playing, and eating, and playing. Ruckus is more active every day and delights in the simple things in life, like clapping, and rolling on the floor. He enjoys pulling my hair and hitting toys with other toys, and cracked up hilariously when he pulled himself up to a standing position using the bars of his crib.
These are exciting times for him, and scary times for his parents, as he is learning quickly how to control his movements and will soon be zipping around the house, wrecking havoc on all within his reach. The child-proofing must begin in earnest. I think the biggest risks are things that Ruckus can fall off of or out of, and things that Ruckus can hit, kick or pull down onto himself. I have never been inclined to empty my house of things because a baby is around, but there are certain changes that have to be made in order to maximize the safety of the little guy so that Dad or I can go to the bathroom by ourselves without worrying that the kid is going to be crushed under something or drinking poison. This is at the top of the To-Do List.
Sunday was Mother's Day so I got up early and showered, then gave Ruckus a bath. He barely fits into his baby bath now so there is a lot of splashing and water displacement while getting cleaned up. He really seems to enjoy his bath time and fights for control of the washcloth and shampoo. It is fun until you try to take these things away from him, as he is a little possessive of anything he can gets his hands on. After the bath it is time for Ruckus to roll around on the floor and fight getting his diaper put on, and dressed. Sometimes this extends dressing time a whole ten minutes or so, which can be stressful if you are under a time crunch. I try to plan ahead so that we have ample time to goof off while getting dressed because really, what's the rush? Let the kid squirm and wriggle and be a silly baby while he has the chance.
After his bath Ruckus finished off a bottle and played for a while, while I packed his bag and things into the Jeep for our planned day out with Grandma. It always amazes me how many things a baby might need for a half day adventure out of the house. It is better to have what you need than miss it though, so the baby bag gets packed to bulging every time. Add to that the stroller and car seat and it makes me very thankful to have a Jeep to haul us all around in!
We left around 9 o'clock and headed for the store to get flowers for my mom. Ruckus helped choose a pretty mini orchid and we set off for Grandma's house. He usually looks out the window and chatters at me as we drive along. Having the mirror set up in the backseat has made me a lot more comfortable while driving as I can see what he is up to without having to pull over and twist around in my seat.
Grandma was happy to see us and liked the flower Ruckus picked out for her, and her Mother's Day card. We three soon set off for the museum, excited to see the King Tut exhibit that we'd heard about on the news, and to spend a little time together.
We got to the museum a little after 10 and found that they didn't open until 12. Oops! We quickly came up with a Plan B and went up the street to get something to eat and occupy ourselves for a little while. We sat and chit chatted while we ate our food, and Ruckus napped in my lap for a bit. The museum is situated in a great big park which is in bloom right now, as it has been a nice Spring, so after lunch we went back to the Park and parked near the Arboretum and put Ruckus in his stroller so we could take a little walk among the trees and flowers.
In addition to it being a beautiful day for a walk in the park, it was also an ideal day for people watching. There was a huge variety of people to check out in the park, a small group in Renaissance costumes enjoying a picnic lunch with like minded compatriots, a young couple out with friends for a photo shoot, perhaps for Prom or an Engagement album, a little girl in her Sunday best, peering into a pool of water shaded in trees. We sat for a while in the grass while Ruckus drank his bottle, and looked at the birds and the people who passed by while we talked. It was a very enjoyable visit with my mom.
As it got closer to noon we headed back to the car, so we could drive one block over and park at the museum. We were happy to see that the museum was opening as we got there, and that there weren't too many people ahead of us in line. We loaded Ruckus back into his stroller and went in. Because my mom and I are both mothers we got in for free, and Ruckus was free as he is under age 2. Score!
The King Tut exhibit was very interesting and Ruckus behaved himself marvelously for a baby in a museum. See details of the museum here. Many of the artifacts were placed too high for Ruckus to see at all so it must not have been particularly entertaining for him, but he managed to charm some of the other museum goers and didn't scream in the big echo-y rooms so I consider it a success. My mom and I had a good time looking at all of the things on display, and the short break in the gift shop was fun because of the other people shopping there. Museums really don't have much to offer to the average child and this was very apparent here.
Some of the children who were old enough to behave themselves weren't behaving at all and it made me wonder when I would be able to take Ruckus to another museum, as soon he will be into everything and will not be able to quietly disguise his boredom in the face of old dusty things that us adults seem to enjoy.
After the gift shop we toured the rest of the Wilbur D. May collection which included artifacts from his trips around the world. Some of these were cool to see and some collections were just odd because they didn't seem to fit into the theme at all, which seemed to be something along the lines of Primitive Societies and Unexplored Wilderness. For example, there was a small collection of pretty glass things from Europe stuck in amongst masks and busts of the wild beasts of Africa, and old guns and a Polar Bear from North America.
After we had seen all of the exhibits we left the museum and went back to my mom's house so that I could take photos of her kitchen (it is being re-done today), and pictures of her with her grandson. Ruckus loves visiting with Grandma and seemed to enjoy himself all day long.
Ruckus fell asleep in the car on the way home so I laid him in bed with his daddy, who was also napping when we got there. I kicked my feet up for the rest of the day and really enjoyed my time with my little family.
I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Light Reading
My kiddo looked really really cute when he woke up this morning. We share a pillow right now so he is super close to my face and he was all smiles when he opened his eyes and realized what he was looking at. : )
I don't have much new to say. I read a lot of blogs. Some of them are about parenting, some are serious, some funny, some have absolutely nothing to do with parenting although those are sort of hard to find because so many parents need/want a blog to somehow get it all out of their heads. Anyway... I have really been enjoying the blogs I have listed below. They make me laugh and a lot of times I find myself nodding in agreement as they are saying what I am sometimes thinking. It is nice to have that validation, that you aren't the only one thinking x, y, and/or z.
My Twin*tastic Life is a blog written by the mother of twin boys who are now four. I've been working my way through the archives of this one and find myself laughing all the time. Love it!
Werdyab is another blog I really enjoy. I've already read all of the archives for this and so now have to wait for the new stuff to come out.
Diary of a Mad Woman is just that. This blog makes me cry all the time, and cheer for a stranger and her family who have been through so much in less than a year. This blog is not for you if you are already feeling low or a bit sensitive but if you like a true story of tragedy turning triumph (hopefully) you might enjoy watching this train wreck get cleaned up.
Motherhood, WTF? is a blog that makes me actually say WTF. I think this woman needs some parenting classes, to start with. I'll leave it at that.
Beta Dad is written by a stay at home dad. I have really enjoyed reading this one over the years. He writes a lot less now that his twin girls have gotten older but the archives are fun to read, and it is nice to have a dad's perspective on things that traditionally only women deal with.
That's all, to start with. There are a bunch more but I'll save those for another time when I am feeling not-so-wordy.
I can't wait to go home and see Ruckus! I hope that his dad will have him in the window again today, waiting for me to pull in to the drive way. To see the baby's expression go from serious to overjoyed when he sees me... so priceless I can't put it into words.
I don't have much new to say. I read a lot of blogs. Some of them are about parenting, some are serious, some funny, some have absolutely nothing to do with parenting although those are sort of hard to find because so many parents need/want a blog to somehow get it all out of their heads. Anyway... I have really been enjoying the blogs I have listed below. They make me laugh and a lot of times I find myself nodding in agreement as they are saying what I am sometimes thinking. It is nice to have that validation, that you aren't the only one thinking x, y, and/or z.
My Twin*tastic Life is a blog written by the mother of twin boys who are now four. I've been working my way through the archives of this one and find myself laughing all the time. Love it!
Werdyab is another blog I really enjoy. I've already read all of the archives for this and so now have to wait for the new stuff to come out.
Diary of a Mad Woman is just that. This blog makes me cry all the time, and cheer for a stranger and her family who have been through so much in less than a year. This blog is not for you if you are already feeling low or a bit sensitive but if you like a true story of tragedy turning triumph (hopefully) you might enjoy watching this train wreck get cleaned up.
Motherhood, WTF? is a blog that makes me actually say WTF. I think this woman needs some parenting classes, to start with. I'll leave it at that.
Beta Dad is written by a stay at home dad. I have really enjoyed reading this one over the years. He writes a lot less now that his twin girls have gotten older but the archives are fun to read, and it is nice to have a dad's perspective on things that traditionally only women deal with.
That's all, to start with. There are a bunch more but I'll save those for another time when I am feeling not-so-wordy.
I can't wait to go home and see Ruckus! I hope that his dad will have him in the window again today, waiting for me to pull in to the drive way. To see the baby's expression go from serious to overjoyed when he sees me... so priceless I can't put it into words.
Monday, May 7, 2012
We Moved, We Ate, We Messed Things Up
It's been awhile, eh? Well, time to knock the dust off, ready or not. I have neglected writing because things have seemed fairly boring lately, and it is hard to make a boring thing into an interesting story. But I will try, as the passage of time continues and Ruckus ages daily.
Things That Have Been Happening
Ruckus has three new teeth! They are on the top, and none of them are the top front teeth. This has me nervous that the top front teeth will not have enough room to grow in properly and will be crooked. There seems to be nothing I can do to stop this or change this, so I'm going to try to stop worrying about it. It is hard to stop worrying about things that worry you (me), isn't it? I find it amazingly difficult.
The teething process has been very unpleasant. Ruckus has been cranky to say the least and it has been going nonstop for so many weeks that it seems like part of his personality. I am trying to keep in mind that this is temporary, and it will pass and my sweetheart of a son will make a charming and triumphant return very soon. Like the not worrying part, this is hard to do.
I have a new wrinkle, or wrinkles. I must sit and frown/scowl all day long. Perhaps it is from worry. Or maybe it is due to squinting, which is due to lack of sleep. Regardless, there is a nice new groove on my forehead, between my eye brows. I'm not a fan. I am now sitting here smirking, forcing my forehead to lie flat and not wrinkle. The area under my eyes will suffer from this new expression, but if it saves me having a permanent mark on my forehead, so be it.
Ruckus is 32 weeks old now. In real time that is about 7 1/2 months old. He had his 6 month shots a couple of weeks ago and aside from an overnight fever, had no issues with them. He even had the first shot of a two part flu shot, so we will have to go and get the second part of that done in a couple of weeks. Shots always make me nervous because of what people say about bad reactions and the possibility that they cause or contribute to Autism. I am hopeful that we never have any issues with shots and that he will just get his immunities and nothing more.
The baby has been making me think he is going to crawl any day now, for at least a month, maybe more. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks, and soon enough, he is moving backward at a snail's pace. This is a huge relief to me, as I am not quite ready to deal with forward momentum. If he could just slow down and take his time that would be great.
We are getting settled into our new house and have had to make some adjustments to our routines as a consequence of the layout of the house, furniture that was there before us and so can't be messed with for now, those sorts of things. One thing which has not been well received in the new house is Ruckus's highchair. It is an A-frame design and as a consequence it takes up a huge amount of room when set up. I'm talking like a 5x3 area on the floor, just to sit the baby down for lunch or dinner. This barely worked in our old house and doesn't work at all in the new house. We tried it a few times, wheeling it from his room into the kitchen, trying to fold it up and leave it in the kitchen, trying to get a glass of milk and maneuver around the dog while it is fully expanded, and it just doesn't work.
Lucky for us I had purchased a booster seat some time ago. See it here. This is actually a seat you would use to train a baby on how to sit without falling over or forward, it has a toy and snack tray that rotates around it Lazy Susan style, and is designed for use as a booster seat for 'older children'. Since Ruckus is no dainty thing he fits in the booster part fabulously so we've strapped it into one of the dining chairs and so far, it has been a huge space saver and the baby seems to enjoy sitting like a regular people at the table. Win!
Of course there is a drawback to everything and here it is - he hates the toy tray. We have put him into the seat without it a few times and he is fine but as soon as you slide the toy tray on he is screeching to be let out and seems to be showing genuine fear. Not Good. Perhaps he will grow out of the fear at some point. We will wait a month or so and try the toy tray again. I don't care how much you've spent on a toy for your child - when he or she expresses an instant fear type response to it you will fling that thing so far from your child that people on the street had better be ready to duck. Or maybe I just spoil my kid.
Along the same lines of feeding/spoiling, we all went out as a family for Cinco De Mayo this past Saturday. We went to a local Mexican restaurant which we get to every few months, and have for a few years. I remember when Dad and I first went there we were on one of our early dates, having dinner before a basketball game downtown. We went there a couple of times when I was pregnant with Ruckus, and at least once, maybe twice, since he was born. So they know us, and when we were being served our waitor says, "So this is him, this is the baby?" We say yes, this is the guy... haha. He remarked on how much Ruckus has grown since the last time he saw him, now he's sitting in a high chair and everything! Anyway... I sat next to him so that I could feed him some of my dinner, knowing how he expects to eat with us now, and not before or after. I spooned up some beans and rice and fed him those while I ate my spicy things.
It was very loud in the restaurant on this day, so Ruckus screaming here and there throughout the meal didn't seem to disturb anyone. Or perhaps I've already become one of those oblivious parents who thinks my kid isn't bothering anyone. I thought that the feeding was going pretty well until I had almost cleaned my plate and happened to glance down at the floor. It was covered in rice! It seems that as soon as I would spoon some rice into Ruckus and turn my head, he would spit it out or it would fall out of his mouth, down into the high chair, and then onto the floor. There was a huge mess! His hands were covered in beans and rice, and so was the top of the highchair, and the edge of the table he could reach.
I grabbed him up, brushed him off and we went into the Ladies Room to clean up a little. He was very good about letting me wash his hands in the sink. We got back to the table and I couldn't really figure out how to clean up our mess without smearing it into the carpet, so I just kind of brushed the rice off of the high chair and table and called it good. I left a couple extra dollars tip in the hopes that they would forgive us. I'm sure they must deal with similar situations all the time, right? Kids are messy! And loud. And next time we go there, Ruckus will be a little older, and might do something cute and endearing, and they likely won't remember the Rice Incident, right? Right...
Yesterday we did some unpacking and cleaning, and Ruckus sat in his little booster seat in the kitchen, visiting with me while I put away my china set. I explained to him that I'm going to give it to his wife some day, and that he and she can pass it on to their own children when they are old enough. I told him the dishes and silverware had been passed down through three generations so far, and he'd be the fourth, so it was important that we not break Mommy's dishes. We shall see how careful he is once he is up and around in a few months. I suspect this conversation will be long forgotten by then!
I think you are all updated for now!
Things That Have Been Happening
Ruckus has three new teeth! They are on the top, and none of them are the top front teeth. This has me nervous that the top front teeth will not have enough room to grow in properly and will be crooked. There seems to be nothing I can do to stop this or change this, so I'm going to try to stop worrying about it. It is hard to stop worrying about things that worry you (me), isn't it? I find it amazingly difficult.
The teething process has been very unpleasant. Ruckus has been cranky to say the least and it has been going nonstop for so many weeks that it seems like part of his personality. I am trying to keep in mind that this is temporary, and it will pass and my sweetheart of a son will make a charming and triumphant return very soon. Like the not worrying part, this is hard to do.
I have a new wrinkle, or wrinkles. I must sit and frown/scowl all day long. Perhaps it is from worry. Or maybe it is due to squinting, which is due to lack of sleep. Regardless, there is a nice new groove on my forehead, between my eye brows. I'm not a fan. I am now sitting here smirking, forcing my forehead to lie flat and not wrinkle. The area under my eyes will suffer from this new expression, but if it saves me having a permanent mark on my forehead, so be it.
Ruckus is 32 weeks old now. In real time that is about 7 1/2 months old. He had his 6 month shots a couple of weeks ago and aside from an overnight fever, had no issues with them. He even had the first shot of a two part flu shot, so we will have to go and get the second part of that done in a couple of weeks. Shots always make me nervous because of what people say about bad reactions and the possibility that they cause or contribute to Autism. I am hopeful that we never have any issues with shots and that he will just get his immunities and nothing more.
The baby has been making me think he is going to crawl any day now, for at least a month, maybe more. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks, and soon enough, he is moving backward at a snail's pace. This is a huge relief to me, as I am not quite ready to deal with forward momentum. If he could just slow down and take his time that would be great.
We are getting settled into our new house and have had to make some adjustments to our routines as a consequence of the layout of the house, furniture that was there before us and so can't be messed with for now, those sorts of things. One thing which has not been well received in the new house is Ruckus's highchair. It is an A-frame design and as a consequence it takes up a huge amount of room when set up. I'm talking like a 5x3 area on the floor, just to sit the baby down for lunch or dinner. This barely worked in our old house and doesn't work at all in the new house. We tried it a few times, wheeling it from his room into the kitchen, trying to fold it up and leave it in the kitchen, trying to get a glass of milk and maneuver around the dog while it is fully expanded, and it just doesn't work.
Lucky for us I had purchased a booster seat some time ago. See it here. This is actually a seat you would use to train a baby on how to sit without falling over or forward, it has a toy and snack tray that rotates around it Lazy Susan style, and is designed for use as a booster seat for 'older children'. Since Ruckus is no dainty thing he fits in the booster part fabulously so we've strapped it into one of the dining chairs and so far, it has been a huge space saver and the baby seems to enjoy sitting like a regular people at the table. Win!
Of course there is a drawback to everything and here it is - he hates the toy tray. We have put him into the seat without it a few times and he is fine but as soon as you slide the toy tray on he is screeching to be let out and seems to be showing genuine fear. Not Good. Perhaps he will grow out of the fear at some point. We will wait a month or so and try the toy tray again. I don't care how much you've spent on a toy for your child - when he or she expresses an instant fear type response to it you will fling that thing so far from your child that people on the street had better be ready to duck. Or maybe I just spoil my kid.
Along the same lines of feeding/spoiling, we all went out as a family for Cinco De Mayo this past Saturday. We went to a local Mexican restaurant which we get to every few months, and have for a few years. I remember when Dad and I first went there we were on one of our early dates, having dinner before a basketball game downtown. We went there a couple of times when I was pregnant with Ruckus, and at least once, maybe twice, since he was born. So they know us, and when we were being served our waitor says, "So this is him, this is the baby?" We say yes, this is the guy... haha. He remarked on how much Ruckus has grown since the last time he saw him, now he's sitting in a high chair and everything! Anyway... I sat next to him so that I could feed him some of my dinner, knowing how he expects to eat with us now, and not before or after. I spooned up some beans and rice and fed him those while I ate my spicy things.
It was very loud in the restaurant on this day, so Ruckus screaming here and there throughout the meal didn't seem to disturb anyone. Or perhaps I've already become one of those oblivious parents who thinks my kid isn't bothering anyone. I thought that the feeding was going pretty well until I had almost cleaned my plate and happened to glance down at the floor. It was covered in rice! It seems that as soon as I would spoon some rice into Ruckus and turn my head, he would spit it out or it would fall out of his mouth, down into the high chair, and then onto the floor. There was a huge mess! His hands were covered in beans and rice, and so was the top of the highchair, and the edge of the table he could reach.
I grabbed him up, brushed him off and we went into the Ladies Room to clean up a little. He was very good about letting me wash his hands in the sink. We got back to the table and I couldn't really figure out how to clean up our mess without smearing it into the carpet, so I just kind of brushed the rice off of the high chair and table and called it good. I left a couple extra dollars tip in the hopes that they would forgive us. I'm sure they must deal with similar situations all the time, right? Kids are messy! And loud. And next time we go there, Ruckus will be a little older, and might do something cute and endearing, and they likely won't remember the Rice Incident, right? Right...
Yesterday we did some unpacking and cleaning, and Ruckus sat in his little booster seat in the kitchen, visiting with me while I put away my china set. I explained to him that I'm going to give it to his wife some day, and that he and she can pass it on to their own children when they are old enough. I told him the dishes and silverware had been passed down through three generations so far, and he'd be the fourth, so it was important that we not break Mommy's dishes. We shall see how careful he is once he is up and around in a few months. I suspect this conversation will be long forgotten by then!
I think you are all updated for now!
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