Toddling.

Serious toddling developments in the last month. Accompanied by the death of our old hard drive so we lost all our letters to the bug! And hundreds of photos. Happily we were able to reconstruct a good percentage of those photos: do we really need five thousand photos when we have five hundred? There are more pictures of Alex's first year than exist of both his dad and me, ever.

So: serious toddling. We went from first steps, to walking, to almost running now. He can spin around, reverse, change direction. Bend over, pick things up. Get up from a prone position. He's tall, and hip-height, so we need to be careful walking past him; I have on more than one occasion knocked him over by accident.

He's talking, in his own way. He says "Woo woo" when he hears a dog; now, "woo woo" means pretty much any animal, or thing that he wants to point to outside. But it also definitely means a dog. He'll start saying it if he sees a dog, too. When the timer goes off in the kitchen he lifts a finger and says "ah"; pointing upwards means "take me outside"; he'll definitely call me by name "ah ma ma," but only really if he's upset. Da da da, can mean either his dad or me. And he will blow to indicate he wants food prepared for him. So he'll stand in the kitchen doorway, bouncing in the morning, blowing his little cheeks out so that I'll make him his favorite breakfast: oatmeal with raisins. He'll also show his assent by giving you the biggest, toothiest grin: as in--Alex, do you want oatmeal? Do you want to go outside?

He loves going outside.

He also loves playing in the water, in the front yard, where he can see the dogs walk by with their people.

He is obsessed with big kids, between the ages of 4 and 8. We went to the park to show him the duckpond, he said woo woo to the geese, and then was determined to walk around. He found some kids playing in a tent, and stood there for a good 5 minutes talking to them.

Also: teething four teeth at a time sucks.

First Tantrum

I guess this goes with the walking? Yesterday we had a quick preview of one: overtired, didn't want a bath, wanted to go right to bed. Mr. Punch is working overtime and we kept him up too late (nearly 7pm). Tonight, we made the same mistake: but this time it was real. He turned hot and red and twisty and *nothing* helped. Not distraction, not the cave-man ambassador thing, not moving back and forth between his evil parents who wouldn't let him eat dirt. It lasted about 3-4 minutes but it felt like FOREVER. Eventually I opened the freezer and stood there with him. That seemed to work. Then he ate a huge pile of rice and beans and went to sleep.

**Caveman ambassador thing is "Happiest Toddler on the Block" advice: you show the kid you understand him by mirroring his emotion back to him, and then try to distract/calm him. It worked the day before, but not today.

Walking!

Today, my baby is a toddler.

Who is apparently made of iron will. His first steps were not to me, but towards the objects of his desire: the stereo, and then towards his dad who had popped out for a second: step, step--lunge toward daddy, and land on the edge of the couch. And then again seconds later, moving away from me, step, step and lunging towards Daddy.

Meanwhile, I was getting the stinkeye all day long. Brow furrowed, nose crinkled. Sheer annoyance on his face. And I wasn't even saying no to him. I just wasn't Daddy. He was fixated on him all day long. Sure, I'm good enough to nurse him, but the rest of the day was D.A.D.

I guess it makes a change.

Where to begin

Man! All of a sudden so many teeth! It's like overnight, he got four. Which means crunching things is fun. Potato chips, crackers, apples, his dad's finger.

Kid's got a will of iron, and knows just how far he can go before he runs into some prohibition or other. Has perfected the stink-eye, complete with wrinkled nose. Has learned that he has to keep his hat on outside as we live on the surface of the sun, but will whip it off seconds after we get inside. He loves gravity, as it makes for a perfect game with mommy at the table, at the grocery store, in the kitchen: drop the spoon, the toy, the bottle--and this morning disastrously, his cup. He's learned to drink from a straw, and is a champ at drinking from a regular cup. The key problem is the throwing.

He's still cruising, pretty confidently. And he sits cross-legged now. It's too cute. He's perfected this playful swaggering speed-crawl, and swings his head from side-to-side when he's feeling mischievous. The best new game he plays is blowing on his dad and me: you know the blow-kisses you give to babies on their bellies? He gives them back. On his dad's belly, and on me while he's nursing. He giggles when he does it.

Stirring the pot.

Today, I gave Alexander a pot, wooden spoon, and a lid. I showed him how to bang the spoon on the bottom of the pot in order to amuse him. What does he do? He flips the pot over, and for the next 25 min, stirs the pot, puts the lid on it, opens it, stirs again. He occasionally stops to stir the other pot that I bring out, and spends some time comparing how the lids fit on the two pots.

I tried to show him how to pretend eat the soup he was making, and he just looked at me, utterly mystified.

Can't believe it's been a year.

We made it through the birthday party, my birthday and the ensuing unwrapping and assembling of loot. We've had to put a lot of it into the archive, to be brought out later. The mighty mite is cruising around on his push-walker in the shape of a car, and seems to be seconds from running around on his own. He figured out he can fit under the bed if he tilts his head today, much to my horror. He's totally going to get stuck. I just know it.

I keep meaning to a)write him a letter for his book, b)book a portrait commemorating his first year, and also c)go through his clothes yet again and get rid of all the too short stuff.

I have six weeks left to hang out with him before classes start. It's both eternally long and scarily short.

T minus two days

First birthday party on Sunday! Endless trips to the dollar store, the grocery store, the party supply stores. Laura's making a caterpillar cake, and our theme is bugs. Because he's a little bug. We've chosen a theme that has absolutely zero merchandizing. So, I guess that's good (?) I'm making bug antennae, a "spot the ladybug" game, and a bunch of kid's food, and also rice and beans. Mom's making green chile.We're planning kid activities: spot the ladybug, squash that bug (pop balloons with gummy worms inside), cocoon your mom/dad, plant a bughouse (a flower) a pinata and of course, cake. There will probably be about fifty people here, and it will be about a hundred degrees.


I bought a slip and slide.

ALL AT ONCE

Once he started crawling, all the switches got thrown to GO! He's started waving hello and goodbye, and clapping. He's still taking off his socks and shoes the minute he has access to them. Today, his grandma showed him how his socks became puppets, which he immediately tried doing and succeeded, much to his shrieking delight. Yes, shrieks of joy are new, and accompanied by tensing up his entire little body and balling up his fists.

He started what is known as "cruising" today, which is walking while holding on to furniture, or me, or a combination of the two. I started singing "Cruising, it's not Sunday afternoon..."

He's a noble little guy. Shares his food without fail and knows the rules, like don't go in the kitchen, don't play with the stereo, don't crawl off the edge of the bed. When faced with any of those temptations, he'll do a little dance on his belly, pumping his fists and his legs, then shake his head. Do the dance, then shake his head. I generally intervene and praise his virtue at that point. And then there's his looking out for the little guy. In this case, his eight week old cousin, JJ, whom we visited today. His feet were chilly so we put socks on him. Alexander immediately zoomed forth to liberate his cousin from the oppression of socks. Twice.

Meanwhile we started sleep training yesterday, and his dad has sent me out of the house both evenings, for which I'm ever greatful. So far, so good. After protesting for about 45 min last night, he slept most of the night without waking up--from 8.30 to 3.45! Of course at that point I was DYING to nurse him, and he happily obliged. Tonight, he only protested for 20 min. Let's hope tomorrow's easier too. He was so ready for this. We all were so ready for this, in spite of my inital resistance to any approach that involved crying. But, I guess after hearing him cry in the car all the way to Pasadena, I found I could survive the crying. Still, I feel a kind of loss at not cuddling my baby to sleep anymore.

Quick!

This kid is doomed to wear pants that are always either too long or too short. He's growing so fast I can't keep up with what fits. We have two plastic bins: one filled with things that are too small, and one filled with things that are too big. Inevitably, I keep missing the window on the upcoming clothes. Also: he's between shoe sizes: medium pinches his chubby feet and large looks like clown shoes that flop right off.

He's just learned to wave. It's bye bye and its also random. His English grandparents are visiting, Nain and Taid (Welsh for Grandma and Grandpa) and he's having a grand time playing with them and being taken out on very long walks where he gets to see flowers and the world.

I've just put together invitations for his first birthday party at the end of this month, and I cannot believe it's already been so long. This time last year I was very pregnant, and wrecked from not sleeping and anxiety. Against all expectation, I'm more relaxed than I've been in a long, long, time. This time two years ago I was reeling from jetlag in India and being a corporate wife for the summer, and the year before that we had just bought our house and moved in.

It was Baby Day at the hospital where he was born; we got an invitation to come take a group photo, so we went. They had invited all babies and their families born from 2006-2009, and took a group photo for each year. It made me feel almost giddy, happy to be there. As we left I teared up. It snuck up on me, the momentousness of the occasion. This was Alexander's generation, his cohort. And also, this was a thing that was only us, not our families of origin, but something else, new and exciting. The future seems full of the thrill of the unknown for the first time in a long time. Funny, that. I mean going to India was exciting, but in a very different way. I'll have to think more about how.

If you're happy and you know it

Clap your hands!

Alexander figured out how to clap today, and was very pleased indeed. In fact, he's so taken with it, he was trying to clap as he was falling asleep tonight.

Also new today: zooming away on the bed whenever he's undressed, giggling hysterically. Maybe the giggling has something to do with our playing along, "Oh no! Naked baby escape! Get him! Get him!"

Watch out.

He's growing faster than I can see. One minute he's a baby in my arms, the next he's trying out being a kid.

We just got back from a four day trip to Boston, one of my conferences. Flying was better than expected on the way out, and as bad as I thought it might be coming back.

Baby Benadryl, by the way, is a lie.

It wasn't that bad. He cried and fussed for three hours, and slept for three hours. In my arms. Even with a sling, it still hurt.

Boston was funny; apparently, the bug has powers of zapping random people on the street with his cuteness. This never happens here. Either the kids there are not so cute, or there aren't any kids there.
And then there's this picture below: What?


We just ditched this table. Not to prevent delinquency, which from the looks of this photo, seems like a good idea, but because the top is glass and it's all super sharp corners in a very small space. Also it was spacky and had to go.

He understands "no" and won't come into the kitchen (one of the rules). He'll stop if you call his name: here he was reaching for something dangerous, and I called him. Hence the look.

Thanks to Tia Pita for the fabulous attitude appropriate T-shirt. Y que, indeed.

Zoom!

Once he figured out crawling, it's been full-speed ahead. Last weekend he was rocking back and forth on his knees and apparently sat up by accident. During the week, he started sitting up on his knees pretty deliberately, and pulling up on furniture, his crib, and me to his knees. This weekend he's been pulling up to standing, unassisted, pretty consistently. Today, he was able to pull himself up on the edge of his play-yard and started taking little steps towards the wall he was leaning on, and according to his Tio Johnny, took a couple of steps sideways, while holding on to the top of the wee plastic wall.

He is minutes from walking.

Before I know it, he's going to be running away from me, shouting nononononono. He already shakes his head and squeezes his face shut when he doens't like something.

Apropos the picture: isn't he a sly bunny?

I know, right?

Dinner!

The great thing about watching the wee one eat is his crazy exuberance. He will mix things all together and attack with great aplomb. Tonight's menu: noodles, tofu, and pear.

I have to figure out how to put up digital footage of him attacking that pear at the end of the meal. Nose wrinkled, eyes squeezed shut, growls emanating from his tiny throat.

What's that in your mouth?

My constant refrain: what are you eating? what is that? Yes, indeed. The buglet is creeping around the house picking up lint and whatever else he can find and popping it into his mouth. Its gross, alarming, and hilarious all at once.

Also: he's discovered how much fun it is to hit his tray and see how far the food on it can go. Or at least, make a clear spot in the middle after smearing everything around it first.

Had me contemplating putting his lunch on the carpet, so then he'd be interested in eating it.

Curses scooped!

Well I guess the Mrs beat me to it :)

Yup the little one is learning traction and forward motion. He really wanted a hair band and by gum a little thing like never having crawled before was not going to stop him.

It's a compelling mix of belly crawling and pulling himself forward by grabbing the carpet and tugging.

Crawling!

I spoke too soon of course. Not only does he roll, but our little bug rocks! Alex is navy-seal crawling around the living room pretty fast right now. I'll bet he'd go faster if he wasn't hampered by his footie pajamas and could get some traction instead of sliding around in the bagginess of them.

Time to tie up all those loose electrical cords and lock the cabinets!

I wonder if he'll amuse himself for longer now?

rolling rolling rolling

I seriously think the bug is going to skip crawling and just roll everywhere until he can walk. He's pretty fast and pretty directed about his pivot, wiggle, roll maneuvers he's got going to get around.

Teething suxxors

As if you didn't know. But seriously, for three years??!!

I can haz teeth?

Or something to that effect. We felt two razor sharp little teeth the other day. Also, on the same day, Alex discovered his junk in the bathtub. Two milestones, same day. Life is grand.

Temper, temper

So, the bug's got a temper. I knew that. What I didn't know was that he can hold a baby grudge. I made him mad this evening, just before his dad got home. I'm not sure if it was my getting up after he fell asleep next to me on the bed, or that when he woke up upset, and I came back to comfort nurse him, I then startled him by answering Mr. Punch's "I'm Home!" with a perhaps too loud "yay!"

In any case, Alex decides he doesnt't want to nurse anymore, and is twisting toward his dad to be picked up, which he is. They play. I come in for smiles and smooches, which he's giving his dad. I get nothing: he turns his head, silently. Hmmmmph. So, I go into the kitchen to start dinner, while his dad folds laundry with the bug on the bed. I come back in to play/help. And I get more of the same: he turns away from me, stony faced (inasmuch as a baby can be stonyfaced) and gives his dad a big smile. Hmmmmmph! So, I kiss him, and smile, chuck him under the chin and go back to the kitchen. I say: maybe I need to go away for a bit--then he's be happy to see me! (It's happened). After another five minutes, Mr. Punch brings him into the kitchen saying "he's following you with his eyes; I think he wants to make up." So I kiss and try to cuddle him, he's turning away, but not as much. I offer him a strawberry, which he takes and squishes up high. I play squish it with him, and TADA: a big smile. YAY.

Food and play as the peace offering. A little bit passive agressive. Just like Mama.

He's 8 months old.

I'm cooked.

Puns come true

Yesterday, Mr. Punch pointed out that Alexander had literally ripped the F out of my keyboard. Put his nimble baby fingers to good use, reached in there, and removed the F key from my laptop. No lie. Its funny and annoying all at the same time. Ah, parenthood.

Songs

I make up songs, not as well as Mr. Punch, but randomly, to amuse the buglet while I'm trying to get him to do something he's resisting (sleeping, holding still for a diaper/pajama change, wait a minute until I can pick him up...). And when he's grumpy, like today (realizing how sucky it is to be sick), I make up extra. In the tradition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat":

Grumpy grumpy little bug
Shiny face just like a slug
Grump all day and grump all night
You won't sleep without a fight
Grumpy grumpy little bug
shiny face just like a slug.

Snot, Snot, Snot.

All the time. For the past four days. Him and me both. We have a cold. I cannot describe the painintheassness of being sick with a sick baby. Correction, being sick, home alone, with a sick babyNever, never, never could I have imagined it. But this weekend, his dad did all the wrangling and I made guest appearances, to which responded with the biggest smiles ever. So, almost worth it.

It's not serious, in case you're worried. No fever. Smiling and responsive and playful when he's not tired/about to nap. Just buckets of snot and drool, and the most pissed-off response to having his nose cleaned.

He's zooming towards eight months. Still the same habits of cuteness: biting fingers, trying to crawl. Now he can sit up, unassisted for minutes. He's working on grabbing anything that is within reach and stuffing it in his mouth.

We're so cooked once he works out crawling.

Gurgling and Growling

And stalagtites of drool! Almost seven months old. Sitting up for seconds at a time! Growling at things, especially those things he's about to eat. Gargling when he's happy. Practicing his new shoutlike cry that says "hey, pay attention." Still finger biting, smiling, and in the habit of wrinkling his nose when he takes a particularly enthusiastic bite.

But still, no teeth. Lucky me.

He laughs the hardest when he's the most tired, so laughter is very close to crying. He's ticklish, and laughs lots when he can grab your hair on the top of your head and try to bite it.

Like this:





Here he is biting one of our poor unsuspecting chums while his dad giggles hysterically, and I take a picture.