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!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Moving, Now With More Teeth!
Ruckus is now seven months old and growing his third tooth. He seems determined not to take a break for a while so we are just having to bear with his moodiness. Luckily he is so sweet and loveable 90% of the time that a little moodiness is really no big deal.
Also offering no break is his eczema, which I mistakenly thought was magically going away. No such luck! His face is just as red and itchy as ever and he seems as though he might tear off his cheeks if he can figure out how to do it. Pity. He is such a good looking child (to me) and it is hard for people to see past the blotchy redness on his face, completely with scabby scratches on top. Attractive!
We are only a few days away from our move now and Ruckus seems to be adjusting well to having the house decorated with boxes everywhere, and the general disruption of our routines and furniture arrangement. We shall see how well he does at our new house. He has spent a good deal of time there already but we have not stayed the night so I suspect we are in for a trying time while he gets used to the new surroundings.
He has developed some new greedy habits, and I'm not really sure if it is just a baby thing or if it is related to being an only child. If he gets his sticky little hands on something inappropriate and you take it away he throws a fit complete with screaming, whining and kicking his feet. It is extremely charming behavior. I think that it is about time to send him to daycare so that he can develop some social skills before arriving at preschool in a couple years with a mountain of selfish behavior to be whittled down.
And speaking of daycare, this is likely going to happen this summer, as his dad needs to get back into a work-a-day routine. Staying home and watching our baby has been good for his dad but he isn't the sort of personality that is content with this sort of work. I am thankful that he has done it this long.
My Ruckus will be going to my cousin's house this weekend while we move our house three doors down. I am grateful that we have a family member close by who is willing to help us out with childcare, as I don't know how I would juggle carrying furniture with carrying a baby, or trying not to let people step on him as they lug our things down the street. Thank you cousin!
Also offering no break is his eczema, which I mistakenly thought was magically going away. No such luck! His face is just as red and itchy as ever and he seems as though he might tear off his cheeks if he can figure out how to do it. Pity. He is such a good looking child (to me) and it is hard for people to see past the blotchy redness on his face, completely with scabby scratches on top. Attractive!
We are only a few days away from our move now and Ruckus seems to be adjusting well to having the house decorated with boxes everywhere, and the general disruption of our routines and furniture arrangement. We shall see how well he does at our new house. He has spent a good deal of time there already but we have not stayed the night so I suspect we are in for a trying time while he gets used to the new surroundings.
He has developed some new greedy habits, and I'm not really sure if it is just a baby thing or if it is related to being an only child. If he gets his sticky little hands on something inappropriate and you take it away he throws a fit complete with screaming, whining and kicking his feet. It is extremely charming behavior. I think that it is about time to send him to daycare so that he can develop some social skills before arriving at preschool in a couple years with a mountain of selfish behavior to be whittled down.
And speaking of daycare, this is likely going to happen this summer, as his dad needs to get back into a work-a-day routine. Staying home and watching our baby has been good for his dad but he isn't the sort of personality that is content with this sort of work. I am thankful that he has done it this long.
My Ruckus will be going to my cousin's house this weekend while we move our house three doors down. I am grateful that we have a family member close by who is willing to help us out with childcare, as I don't know how I would juggle carrying furniture with carrying a baby, or trying not to let people step on him as they lug our things down the street. Thank you cousin!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Easter Vacation
We decided to take Ruckus to visit my brothers for his first Easter, and we had a very nice time. My brothers live about eight hours from us so it was a long road trip, and the first time Ruckus had spent more than an hour in the car so it was quite the daunting task. We spent the week before packing and thinking of every possible snag that could befall us on a road trip with a baby, and tried to prevent these disasters or pack for the occasions should they arise. The final gear list was fairly daunting but we managed to squeeze it all in to the Jeep.
Saturday morning dawned and we all bathed (separately) and loaded up the car. Last in was Ruckus, and he promptly fell asleep for the first four hours of the trip. What a relief! Visions and nightmares of a scream-a-thon had been filling my head for weeks so to have our baby happily snoozing in the back was a welcome surprise. The peace could not last the full eight hours of course, and we stopped halfway through to break for lunch and some wiggle time. Ruckus took another nap until we were about an hour away so the first leg of our adventure was marked as a success. He cried the rest of the way there, even through a desperate gas stop and our exclamations of "Look honey! The Beach!!" No matter. We got to my youngest brother's house unscathed, and relaxed there for the night. We visited with my brother and his family, then Daddy, baby and I all crammed in to a full sized bed for the night. Cozy!
Sunday morning was Easter so I dressed Ruckus in his best clothes, even though we were headed to breakfast and then the beach, before an afternoon barbecue. We had trouble finding an open restaurant for breakfast, probably because it was a holiday, but ultimately ate at The Girls Restaurant. It was busy but we were seated right away and put Ruckus in a greasy high chair. We ordered up and Ruckus helped me eat my biscuits and gravy. It was good and he really seemed to enjoy it. We got a little on his pants but no matter, onward!
We headed to Pismo Beach and paid for parking, then loaded Ruckus into the stroller and walked down the pier, looking down on the surfers. It was cold and windy but we had the baby wrapped up well so he didn't fuss or seem uncomfortable. After a little walking on the pier and some photos we went down the steps to the sand, and strolled along the water line, looking at the waves. Ruckus seemed absolutely fascinated by the waves, watching them come and go, and seeing the birds dip and turn in the wind. I picked up a small seashell for him which I'll give him many years from now as a memento of his first trip to see the ocean.
We all got cold fairly quickly so we loaded back into the car, and headed up the coast a short way to Avila Beach, at the Port of San Luis. We parked near the fishing pier and walked almost to the end, to the fish market. Ruckus was asleep for this part of the adventure so he missed seeing how pretty the Port was with all of the fishing boats and yachts nearby. I bought some live crabs to take to the bbq, and we headed south to Santa Maria, a little less than an hour away. By now the day had warmed considerably, and we enjoyed the sunny weather and the backyard bbq. I took a few pictures of Ruckus sitting on the grass, his first time ever touching this strange green stuff, and being outside without several layers on. It was a very cute thing to see him pulling on the blades, not quite understanding that with a little determination he could pull it up.
After the bbq we went to my oldest brother's house in Casmalia and saw his chickens and turkeys, and the cows in the distance, dotting pretty green hills. Ruckus met all of these new things with wide eyes and seemed fascinated with the fire pit we all huddled around after the dark and cold set in. After spending a little time visiting we called it a night and all snuggled together in one bed, comforted by the heat of a nearby portable radiator.
The next morning dawned damp and cold, so we bundled Ruckus up for the next leg of our road trip, down to visit an old friend of mine in Indio, CA. We left around 11 am and headed south along the coast at first, then through the busy freeway changes in Los Angeles. Ruckus slept through the most stressful parts of this journey, thankfully, and we found our way to Indio in about 5 hours. We were greeted by my friend's two Great Danes who were very sweet, and treated to a nice steak dinner with a pasta salad that Ruckus could not get enough of. I had him sitting in my lap and every time I lifted the fork his mouth flew open for more, whether that particular bite was intended for him or not. It was very cute! After a nice visit and some time spent enjoying the warm weather on the back porch we said goodnight to my friends and snuggled together in their guest house. The night wasn't particularly restful but at least we got to sleep in!
Because it was so warm Ruckus got to wear shorts for our day's adventures which started with a drive through Joshua Tree National Park. He slept through most of it, waking only long enough to poop his shorts and necessitate a roadside cleanup and wardrobe change.
Our next stop took us to a burger stand where Ruckus enjoyed a bottle, and then a nap. He slept through our visit to a local park, and woke up cranky for our nature hike in Morongo Valley. It was muggy and buggy out and he refused to not cry in his stroller which really upset the bird watchers, so I carried him for most of the trek. Luckily the trail we had picked was short. Once we got back to the car I set up a little baby picnic and fought the bugs off as I gave Ruckus his lunch. Finally, lunch finished, it was time for us to make the return trip north to Casmalia so we loaded up the car and headed out.
Our second trip through Los Angeles was not too bad, traffic wise, and Ruckus alternated napping with screaming. He seemed like he was really tired of being in his car seat by this time. Five hours later we finally arrived, dripping wet from roadside diaper changes in the pouring rain. We dried off and I gave Ruckus his dinner and rocked him to sleep.
The next morning it was time to head home, so we loaded up the car for the last time and started the long journey north. We were all tired and ready for the comforts of home but we had many hours on the road ahead of us. Ruckus was cranky all day long as we wound our way through several rain showers and pit stops for diaper changes. He ate his lunch on the road and this was very messy and difficult for his dad. The final mountain range we had to cross waited for us with a snow surprise and we were forced to slow to a crawl to get over the summit, all while Ruckus screamed to Get Out, Get Free! Many hours after we had started, we were finally home. The baby smiled broadly as we walked in, and I knew that he was just as happy to be there as we were.
After unpacking all of the gear from the car I realized just how much stuff we took and used, and the few things we took and didn't. His playpen was dragged through all 1,900 miles and never unfolded, and the portable dvd player was watched for a whopping five minutes. I think he is just too young for movies, even being bored in the car. Most of his toys were played with, and he ate most of the jars of baby food I brought. The stroller was taken out twice but only sat in once. The big blanket was used only once for a roadside picnic lunch when no tables were available but grass was. His snow suit was never worn but I think it was good to have taken it anyway, in case we had car trouble or a cold snap. His sunglasses were completely forgotten about, in spite of much of the trip being sunny enough to need them.
All in all it was a great trip, but I think it was too much time away from home for the baby, particularly being so young. Plus, we brought home a cold as a souvenir.
Saturday morning dawned and we all bathed (separately) and loaded up the car. Last in was Ruckus, and he promptly fell asleep for the first four hours of the trip. What a relief! Visions and nightmares of a scream-a-thon had been filling my head for weeks so to have our baby happily snoozing in the back was a welcome surprise. The peace could not last the full eight hours of course, and we stopped halfway through to break for lunch and some wiggle time. Ruckus took another nap until we were about an hour away so the first leg of our adventure was marked as a success. He cried the rest of the way there, even through a desperate gas stop and our exclamations of "Look honey! The Beach!!" No matter. We got to my youngest brother's house unscathed, and relaxed there for the night. We visited with my brother and his family, then Daddy, baby and I all crammed in to a full sized bed for the night. Cozy!
Sunday morning was Easter so I dressed Ruckus in his best clothes, even though we were headed to breakfast and then the beach, before an afternoon barbecue. We had trouble finding an open restaurant for breakfast, probably because it was a holiday, but ultimately ate at The Girls Restaurant. It was busy but we were seated right away and put Ruckus in a greasy high chair. We ordered up and Ruckus helped me eat my biscuits and gravy. It was good and he really seemed to enjoy it. We got a little on his pants but no matter, onward!
We headed to Pismo Beach and paid for parking, then loaded Ruckus into the stroller and walked down the pier, looking down on the surfers. It was cold and windy but we had the baby wrapped up well so he didn't fuss or seem uncomfortable. After a little walking on the pier and some photos we went down the steps to the sand, and strolled along the water line, looking at the waves. Ruckus seemed absolutely fascinated by the waves, watching them come and go, and seeing the birds dip and turn in the wind. I picked up a small seashell for him which I'll give him many years from now as a memento of his first trip to see the ocean.
We all got cold fairly quickly so we loaded back into the car, and headed up the coast a short way to Avila Beach, at the Port of San Luis. We parked near the fishing pier and walked almost to the end, to the fish market. Ruckus was asleep for this part of the adventure so he missed seeing how pretty the Port was with all of the fishing boats and yachts nearby. I bought some live crabs to take to the bbq, and we headed south to Santa Maria, a little less than an hour away. By now the day had warmed considerably, and we enjoyed the sunny weather and the backyard bbq. I took a few pictures of Ruckus sitting on the grass, his first time ever touching this strange green stuff, and being outside without several layers on. It was a very cute thing to see him pulling on the blades, not quite understanding that with a little determination he could pull it up.
After the bbq we went to my oldest brother's house in Casmalia and saw his chickens and turkeys, and the cows in the distance, dotting pretty green hills. Ruckus met all of these new things with wide eyes and seemed fascinated with the fire pit we all huddled around after the dark and cold set in. After spending a little time visiting we called it a night and all snuggled together in one bed, comforted by the heat of a nearby portable radiator.
The next morning dawned damp and cold, so we bundled Ruckus up for the next leg of our road trip, down to visit an old friend of mine in Indio, CA. We left around 11 am and headed south along the coast at first, then through the busy freeway changes in Los Angeles. Ruckus slept through the most stressful parts of this journey, thankfully, and we found our way to Indio in about 5 hours. We were greeted by my friend's two Great Danes who were very sweet, and treated to a nice steak dinner with a pasta salad that Ruckus could not get enough of. I had him sitting in my lap and every time I lifted the fork his mouth flew open for more, whether that particular bite was intended for him or not. It was very cute! After a nice visit and some time spent enjoying the warm weather on the back porch we said goodnight to my friends and snuggled together in their guest house. The night wasn't particularly restful but at least we got to sleep in!
Because it was so warm Ruckus got to wear shorts for our day's adventures which started with a drive through Joshua Tree National Park. He slept through most of it, waking only long enough to poop his shorts and necessitate a roadside cleanup and wardrobe change.
Our next stop took us to a burger stand where Ruckus enjoyed a bottle, and then a nap. He slept through our visit to a local park, and woke up cranky for our nature hike in Morongo Valley. It was muggy and buggy out and he refused to not cry in his stroller which really upset the bird watchers, so I carried him for most of the trek. Luckily the trail we had picked was short. Once we got back to the car I set up a little baby picnic and fought the bugs off as I gave Ruckus his lunch. Finally, lunch finished, it was time for us to make the return trip north to Casmalia so we loaded up the car and headed out.
Our second trip through Los Angeles was not too bad, traffic wise, and Ruckus alternated napping with screaming. He seemed like he was really tired of being in his car seat by this time. Five hours later we finally arrived, dripping wet from roadside diaper changes in the pouring rain. We dried off and I gave Ruckus his dinner and rocked him to sleep.
The next morning it was time to head home, so we loaded up the car for the last time and started the long journey north. We were all tired and ready for the comforts of home but we had many hours on the road ahead of us. Ruckus was cranky all day long as we wound our way through several rain showers and pit stops for diaper changes. He ate his lunch on the road and this was very messy and difficult for his dad. The final mountain range we had to cross waited for us with a snow surprise and we were forced to slow to a crawl to get over the summit, all while Ruckus screamed to Get Out, Get Free! Many hours after we had started, we were finally home. The baby smiled broadly as we walked in, and I knew that he was just as happy to be there as we were.
After unpacking all of the gear from the car I realized just how much stuff we took and used, and the few things we took and didn't. His playpen was dragged through all 1,900 miles and never unfolded, and the portable dvd player was watched for a whopping five minutes. I think he is just too young for movies, even being bored in the car. Most of his toys were played with, and he ate most of the jars of baby food I brought. The stroller was taken out twice but only sat in once. The big blanket was used only once for a roadside picnic lunch when no tables were available but grass was. His snow suit was never worn but I think it was good to have taken it anyway, in case we had car trouble or a cold snap. His sunglasses were completely forgotten about, in spite of much of the trip being sunny enough to need them.
All in all it was a great trip, but I think it was too much time away from home for the baby, particularly being so young. Plus, we brought home a cold as a souvenir.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
A Friend For A Tooth
We have struggled for months with my son's eczema. I've invested many dollars in supposed cures and none of them have worked even a little, yet we have smeared them on several times a day while crossing our fingers and hopping on one foot, and chanting secret words in the hopes that one day, it will all come together and his face will be 'pretty' once again. All for naught. His pediatrician recommended that we try Curel's hand cream, a 99 cent purchase I made at a grocery store, and within a week his face is looking 100% better. For less than a dollar. Hurray! I am, of course, upset that I have spent and wasted so much money for nothing up to this point, on the advice of a different pediatrician, but I'll just have to get over that. His eczema is by no means gone but there is marked improvement and that gives us hope.
For about a month my son has been growing his first tooth. It broke the skin after a doozy of a couple of days filled with screaming and fussiness and general exasperation on the part of his parents. We were much relieved when it finally made an appearance and things settled down to a more manageable level of noise. The past couple of weeks have been spent feeling it, rubbing it, and watching its slow upward progress as it makes its presence more apparent. Speculation abounded on when its neighbor, tooth number two, would join its trail blazing brethren.
The wait is over! Tooth Number Two has arrived, and none too soon. The crankiness was turned up a notch over this past weekend and not much sleep has been had, but thankfully it was all for a good reason and not just my child being moody and hard to deal with. Last night in particular was the stuff that terrible parenting type movies are made of. Ruckus cried and fussed long into the night, and refused the comforts of his father in spite of the fact that Mom had to get up and greet the world today. So I'm greeting the world on four hours sleep. Sure, faces are a little blurry at this level of sleep deprivation but I know that this too shall pass. At least until the next two teeth decide to make an appearance. I'm not sure if I should hope for one at a time in order or two at once next time to get the torture over with more quickly! Regardless, the first tooth now has a friend and we will all (hopefully) sleep a little easier tonight.
For about a month my son has been growing his first tooth. It broke the skin after a doozy of a couple of days filled with screaming and fussiness and general exasperation on the part of his parents. We were much relieved when it finally made an appearance and things settled down to a more manageable level of noise. The past couple of weeks have been spent feeling it, rubbing it, and watching its slow upward progress as it makes its presence more apparent. Speculation abounded on when its neighbor, tooth number two, would join its trail blazing brethren.
The wait is over! Tooth Number Two has arrived, and none too soon. The crankiness was turned up a notch over this past weekend and not much sleep has been had, but thankfully it was all for a good reason and not just my child being moody and hard to deal with. Last night in particular was the stuff that terrible parenting type movies are made of. Ruckus cried and fussed long into the night, and refused the comforts of his father in spite of the fact that Mom had to get up and greet the world today. So I'm greeting the world on four hours sleep. Sure, faces are a little blurry at this level of sleep deprivation but I know that this too shall pass. At least until the next two teeth decide to make an appearance. I'm not sure if I should hope for one at a time in order or two at once next time to get the torture over with more quickly! Regardless, the first tooth now has a friend and we will all (hopefully) sleep a little easier tonight.
Friday, March 30, 2012
A Long Night
Thursday. It has been a loud day. Every time I called my husband I could hear joyful screaming in the background, coming from the baby so loud I could barely talk to his dad. I went straight home after work to give my husband a break.
By the time I got there they were both fresh from a nap, so that was great. Everyone is in a better mood after napping. I took over baby duties so my husband could catch his breath, and we talked a little about bills and our upcoming move, storage units, and car repairs that need to be done. Life is sometimes so exciting!
Ruckus and I played on the floor for a while while my husband went to visit his brother, and we had a good time. The baby's toys are loud and obnoxious some days, and other days they are fun to play with. I discovered that one in particular speeds up the song if you hit it enough times in quick succession so I had the polka tunes going warp speed, just to mix things up. The songs play on a loop in my head these days so any change is a good one.
I read him a couple of his books, the hard cardboard ones that say they are for 1 year and older. I suppose that is because cardboard disintegrates when subjected to enough baby spit, and young babies are prone to mouthing everything. The stories themselves don't have much to offer. One is about a turtle who stops and stares at things and takes all day to walk to his own birthday party. The other guests didn't seem too upset by his lateness when he finally arrived. The second is about an elephant who's nose is stuffed up, and a flamingo who plucks a feather to make him sneeze. The end. Luckily my son's attention span is shorter than the books so he wasn't disappointed.
Dinner time rolled around so I heated him up some pureed chicken with gravy, and mixed up his rice cereal. He ate like a trooper and after clearing his plate he drank a bottle of formula. After dinner I changed him and wrapped him up but it was a fight-sleep night so the rocking went on for an hour. I have stopped singing lullabies and he still isn't crying much before sleep so maybe it was me making him cry with my voice all along!
I laid him in his crib and went to bed, and just as I got comfortable he woke up crying. I got up and rocked him back to sleep, and then went back to bed for half an hour before the crying started again. I don't know if he wasn't feeling well, or just was feeling lonesome, but we were up four times before midnight and I was feeling beat. At that point my husband got up and I crashed until 4:30 when I woke up and found them both on the couch. I sent my husband to bed and curled up with the baby for a couple of hours, watching the news as I dozed.
By the time 7 rolled around I was feeling pretty rested, and got ready to head to work. Ruckus was in a good mood this morning, quiet and playful. It is difficult to go to work on days like today, the sun is out and I want to stay home and play with my son. But it is good to provide for my family, and the work day is only so long. Soon it will be over and I can spend the weekend with my family, making memories.
By the time I got there they were both fresh from a nap, so that was great. Everyone is in a better mood after napping. I took over baby duties so my husband could catch his breath, and we talked a little about bills and our upcoming move, storage units, and car repairs that need to be done. Life is sometimes so exciting!
Ruckus and I played on the floor for a while while my husband went to visit his brother, and we had a good time. The baby's toys are loud and obnoxious some days, and other days they are fun to play with. I discovered that one in particular speeds up the song if you hit it enough times in quick succession so I had the polka tunes going warp speed, just to mix things up. The songs play on a loop in my head these days so any change is a good one.
I read him a couple of his books, the hard cardboard ones that say they are for 1 year and older. I suppose that is because cardboard disintegrates when subjected to enough baby spit, and young babies are prone to mouthing everything. The stories themselves don't have much to offer. One is about a turtle who stops and stares at things and takes all day to walk to his own birthday party. The other guests didn't seem too upset by his lateness when he finally arrived. The second is about an elephant who's nose is stuffed up, and a flamingo who plucks a feather to make him sneeze. The end. Luckily my son's attention span is shorter than the books so he wasn't disappointed.
Dinner time rolled around so I heated him up some pureed chicken with gravy, and mixed up his rice cereal. He ate like a trooper and after clearing his plate he drank a bottle of formula. After dinner I changed him and wrapped him up but it was a fight-sleep night so the rocking went on for an hour. I have stopped singing lullabies and he still isn't crying much before sleep so maybe it was me making him cry with my voice all along!
I laid him in his crib and went to bed, and just as I got comfortable he woke up crying. I got up and rocked him back to sleep, and then went back to bed for half an hour before the crying started again. I don't know if he wasn't feeling well, or just was feeling lonesome, but we were up four times before midnight and I was feeling beat. At that point my husband got up and I crashed until 4:30 when I woke up and found them both on the couch. I sent my husband to bed and curled up with the baby for a couple of hours, watching the news as I dozed.
By the time 7 rolled around I was feeling pretty rested, and got ready to head to work. Ruckus was in a good mood this morning, quiet and playful. It is difficult to go to work on days like today, the sun is out and I want to stay home and play with my son. But it is good to provide for my family, and the work day is only so long. Soon it will be over and I can spend the weekend with my family, making memories.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Six Month Checkup
Ruckus had an appointment yesterday for his six month checkup. His pediatrician has been in practice for over 40 years and is now retiring. She is very small and frail looking, and a sweet lady. I will miss our quirky appointments with her and soon we will have to get to know his new pediatrician for his 9 month checkup.
Yesterday's appointment went well. We were the only ones there, as usual, and barely sat down before being called back. I undressed Ruckus and went with the nurse to weigh and measure him. He is 18 lbs., 10 oz., and 27 inches tall. His head measured 43 cm but who cares about that unless you are buying a hat?
I brought him back to the exam room and soon the doctor came in and asked what we were feeding him, if he sat up, rolled over, and if we had any concerns. She says that since he can sit up by himself without falling over he can now eat crackers (like Saltines), sliced fruits, pasta, cheese, etc. She also said that he can now have spicy foods which babies seem to prefer. Am I the only one who doesn't know this? Is this even true? For some reason giving a small baby a taco or spaghetti seems like the wrong thing to do, particularly as he only has one tooth.
She advised us to play peek-a-boo with him a lot to help him through separation anxiety, which he has yet to display signs of. Whether it helps or not, this at least sounds like fun.
She also said to use the word 'No!' for discipline and to put him, his toy and another child into time out if the need arises. Put the toy in time out! Luckily he does not have a sibling to squabble over toys with so this one will likely not be needed often. I think a better punishment is to put the kid into time out where he can see you playing with the offending toy, while he has to sit quietly and behave. Now that should teach him!
His doctor recommended feeding him high fat foods for dinner so that he will sleep more at night, so I gave him his first meat feeding last night. It did not go well. It was Gerber's Ham with Ham Gravy in a jar, and it looked and smelled like cat food. Ick. I made him his rice cereal as usual and put it on a small plate with a big spoonful of the ham next to it. I started with a few bites of the cereal, just to get the appetite going, and then offered the first bit of ham puree. He made a face but opened up anyway, and in it went. Suddenly he started gagging and making the funniest 'I hate this!' face I've ever seen. Dinner was pretty much over and ruined at that point. I managed to get him to take another bite of the rice cereal and one more of ham before he refused to open his mouth any longer, turning in his seat so he wasn't even facing me. I should feel badly for laughing.
I dumped the ham and rice in the trash and rinsed the spoon, and gave him a few minutes to recover. Not wanting to send him to bed hungry (and pay the consequences myself through lost sleep) I opened up some pureed apples and fed him that. He ate eagerly and then I gave him a bath. He is really too big for his baby bath any longer and spends the entire time kicking his legs to make great splashes and I end up soaked from just being near him.
I dressed him and rocked him to sleep and the house was nice and quiet at 8:00. The streak of not screaming for ten minutes before falling asleep has continued now for three nights in a row, so I am extremely hopeful that this is our new reality, and not just some fluke.
Yesterday's appointment went well. We were the only ones there, as usual, and barely sat down before being called back. I undressed Ruckus and went with the nurse to weigh and measure him. He is 18 lbs., 10 oz., and 27 inches tall. His head measured 43 cm but who cares about that unless you are buying a hat?
I brought him back to the exam room and soon the doctor came in and asked what we were feeding him, if he sat up, rolled over, and if we had any concerns. She says that since he can sit up by himself without falling over he can now eat crackers (like Saltines), sliced fruits, pasta, cheese, etc. She also said that he can now have spicy foods which babies seem to prefer. Am I the only one who doesn't know this? Is this even true? For some reason giving a small baby a taco or spaghetti seems like the wrong thing to do, particularly as he only has one tooth.
She advised us to play peek-a-boo with him a lot to help him through separation anxiety, which he has yet to display signs of. Whether it helps or not, this at least sounds like fun.
She also said to use the word 'No!' for discipline and to put him, his toy and another child into time out if the need arises. Put the toy in time out! Luckily he does not have a sibling to squabble over toys with so this one will likely not be needed often. I think a better punishment is to put the kid into time out where he can see you playing with the offending toy, while he has to sit quietly and behave. Now that should teach him!
His doctor recommended feeding him high fat foods for dinner so that he will sleep more at night, so I gave him his first meat feeding last night. It did not go well. It was Gerber's Ham with Ham Gravy in a jar, and it looked and smelled like cat food. Ick. I made him his rice cereal as usual and put it on a small plate with a big spoonful of the ham next to it. I started with a few bites of the cereal, just to get the appetite going, and then offered the first bit of ham puree. He made a face but opened up anyway, and in it went. Suddenly he started gagging and making the funniest 'I hate this!' face I've ever seen. Dinner was pretty much over and ruined at that point. I managed to get him to take another bite of the rice cereal and one more of ham before he refused to open his mouth any longer, turning in his seat so he wasn't even facing me. I should feel badly for laughing.
I dumped the ham and rice in the trash and rinsed the spoon, and gave him a few minutes to recover. Not wanting to send him to bed hungry (and pay the consequences myself through lost sleep) I opened up some pureed apples and fed him that. He ate eagerly and then I gave him a bath. He is really too big for his baby bath any longer and spends the entire time kicking his legs to make great splashes and I end up soaked from just being near him.
I dressed him and rocked him to sleep and the house was nice and quiet at 8:00. The streak of not screaming for ten minutes before falling asleep has continued now for three nights in a row, so I am extremely hopeful that this is our new reality, and not just some fluke.
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