Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
New today...
-First shark (actually day before yesterday): We saw a small shark in the shallow water while walking on the beach. Wes didn't notice.
-Baby's first MOABW (Mother of All Beach Walks): We took an hour and half walk on the beach with Wes in the Ergo. My dad (Grandpa Rob) is waiting breathlessly for Wes to start walking so he can drag a whiny unwilling toddler out for a "real" walk on the beach, because that builds character.
-Third swim: great success! Except for when he projectile vomited in the kiddie pool, forcing a mass evacuation. Wes didn't notice.
-He is getting kicky: For the last 4-5 days he has started being much more wiggly including rhythmic recreational kicking whilst in his car seat.
-Increased attention span: He has been staring at his jangly, rattling, garishly colored toys for increasingly long periods of time. He has this little turtle thingy with a mirror on its underside that he loves to stare at.
-Shouts of joy: He has started making little vocalizations to express his delight. OMG it's just adorable.
-Smiles galore: He is smiling predictably when smiled at (if he is well-fed with clean pampers) and smiling exuberantly when the vitamin D drops come out.
-Baby's first MOABW (Mother of All Beach Walks): We took an hour and half walk on the beach with Wes in the Ergo. My dad (Grandpa Rob) is waiting breathlessly for Wes to start walking so he can drag a whiny unwilling toddler out for a "real" walk on the beach, because that builds character.
-Third swim: great success! Except for when he projectile vomited in the kiddie pool, forcing a mass evacuation. Wes didn't notice.
-He is getting kicky: For the last 4-5 days he has started being much more wiggly including rhythmic recreational kicking whilst in his car seat.
-Increased attention span: He has been staring at his jangly, rattling, garishly colored toys for increasingly long periods of time. He has this little turtle thingy with a mirror on its underside that he loves to stare at.
-Shouts of joy: He has started making little vocalizations to express his delight. OMG it's just adorable.
-Smiles galore: He is smiling predictably when smiled at (if he is well-fed with clean pampers) and smiling exuberantly when the vitamin D drops come out.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Saturday, September 26, 2015
New today
-Met his only living great grandmother, who is 582 times older than him. She is mostly blind but she was able to touch his fat little legs, smell his head and kiss his tiny feet. She said "he's so beautiful."
-He looks more and more like an Ewok every day
-He has a new nickname: "Jabba the Hut Baby." (We are going with the Star Wars theme. Also, breastfeeding continues to go well.)
-First swim. Great success! Not. We will try again soon, maybe sometime when he is awake so we are not dunking a sleeping baby into a pool unawares and expecting him to like it.
-He looks more and more like an Ewok every day
-He has a new nickname: "Jabba the Hut Baby." (We are going with the Star Wars theme. Also, breastfeeding continues to go well.)
-First swim. Great success! Not. We will try again soon, maybe sometime when he is awake so we are not dunking a sleeping baby into a pool unawares and expecting him to like it.
New today...
-High-pitched shrieking: He punctuates his normal crying with little high-pitched shrieks, which usually means "I'm bored."
-Goat bleating: Formerly he sounded like a meowing kitten, now he sounds like a little goat.
-Goat bleating: Formerly he sounded like a meowing kitten, now he sounds like a little goat.
Friday, September 25, 2015
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Daddy says...
Me: "Do you think Wes can breathe all scrunched up in the Ergo like that?"
Stevo: "Yes, of course, he has an air pocket. Like an avalanche survivor."
Me: "What is that little red patch on his arm?"
Stevo: "Where he's been shooting up heroin."
Me: "His little ear pits of kind of deep. Where do you think they go?"
Stevo: "China."
Me: "Do you think he needs a bath?"
Stevo: "No. Babies are self-cleaning."
"Wes, we need to get you out of reverse trendelenberg." (He was laying assymetrically in the bassinet with his head against the edge and the bassinet tilted down.)
"There was a jailbreak last night." (Wes had escaped the swaddler.)
Stevo: "Yes, of course, he has an air pocket. Like an avalanche survivor."
Me: "What is that little red patch on his arm?"
Stevo: "Where he's been shooting up heroin."
Me: "His little ear pits of kind of deep. Where do you think they go?"
Stevo: "China."
Me: "Do you think he needs a bath?"
Stevo: "No. Babies are self-cleaning."
"Wes, we need to get you out of reverse trendelenberg." (He was laying assymetrically in the bassinet with his head against the edge and the bassinet tilted down.)
"There was a jailbreak last night." (Wes had escaped the swaddler.)
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
New today...
-First non-family member babysitter: Our neighbor Jen watched Wes for an hour and a half while I was at the dentist. He apparently slept the whole time and was a real "cuddle bunny." Not surprised. But thank you, Wes, for being a good boy.
-He has started pawing at my chest when he's hungry.
-Instead of laying his arms at his side while feeding, he has started to put a hand on either side of my breast. It's cute when he does this but I am going to miss him holding his outside hand up in the air and slowly flexing and extending his fingers at the metacarpal-phalangeal joint, which is what he did before. It's like he was saying stop/go/stop/go...
-He seems to be developing a sense of anticipation. This evening when I brought the dropper close to his mouth to give him his Vitamin D drops, he cooed and smiled. He loves Vitamin D drops (they taste sweet and kind of citrus-y). After I give them to him, he smacks his lips and looks content. I and/or Stevo may be guilty of putting Vitamin D drops on the paci to make it more attractive when Wes is having a moment of distress.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Time
Tonight as I was walking Bubba with Wes in the Ergo, I was trying to explain the concept of time to Wes. That is a pretty ambitious subject for even an adult, let alone a seven week old, but when I walk with Wes I try to tell him about the world and what's on my mind. Aside from the fact that it's supposed to be good for babies' development if you speak to them and explain things even when they are pre-verbal, I feel strangely compelled to let him in on all the things I know and think I know. It is also an interesting challenge to phrase my musings in a such a way as to explain things to someone who has very little experience of the world and almost no frame of reference for anything either.
I told him that it was 9:30 at night, which led to a (one-sided) discussion about why it is useful to have time as a framework for when things happen so that people can show up to things at the same time and so forth. This led to a more complicated discussion about time as a concept. I tried to condense the idea of time into a few words: "Wes, time is the currency of our lives." That is a somewhat cheesy way to say that time is the ineffable substance that is flowing around us and through us and through which we are constantly moving.
I mentioned to Wes the concept of relativity, which I feel is an important corollary to the concept of time: "For instance, Wes, you are just over seven weeks old. That feels like a very short time because we have been focused on you and in love with you and watching every tiny thing you do. But it also feels like forever, because it seems like you have always been a part of our family."
I hate that all the moments of his babyhood are going stupidly fast. It's all rushing by like a warm wind that I can't hold onto. I hate how I already forgot what he looked like as a newborn. He's already busted out of his size one diapers. I am going to punch the next person who tells me "It goes so fast" in the face. BUT. Somehow all the little moments add up to the solid fact of Wes's existence, the fact that he is ours and he is a real person and we get to share this life with him. So I'll take it.
I told him that it was 9:30 at night, which led to a (one-sided) discussion about why it is useful to have time as a framework for when things happen so that people can show up to things at the same time and so forth. This led to a more complicated discussion about time as a concept. I tried to condense the idea of time into a few words: "Wes, time is the currency of our lives." That is a somewhat cheesy way to say that time is the ineffable substance that is flowing around us and through us and through which we are constantly moving.
I mentioned to Wes the concept of relativity, which I feel is an important corollary to the concept of time: "For instance, Wes, you are just over seven weeks old. That feels like a very short time because we have been focused on you and in love with you and watching every tiny thing you do. But it also feels like forever, because it seems like you have always been a part of our family."
I hate that all the moments of his babyhood are going stupidly fast. It's all rushing by like a warm wind that I can't hold onto. I hate how I already forgot what he looked like as a newborn. He's already busted out of his size one diapers. I am going to punch the next person who tells me "It goes so fast" in the face. BUT. Somehow all the little moments add up to the solid fact of Wes's existence, the fact that he is ours and he is a real person and we get to share this life with him. So I'll take it.
Infant-canine relations
This is Bubba and Wes meeting for the first time:
One time at Crissy Field a year ago, Stevo, Bubba and I were lying on our bellies in a row, watching the joggers and bikers go by. A man passing by looked at Bubba, happily sandwiched between us, and remarked, "Only child, huh?"
And he was. He was and is a very loved dog that we spent more than a little bit of time cuddling, petting and walking. We got him six and a half years ago when we first moved into our house in NC. He's been our constant companion, our guard dog, our comfort and our baby for all of that time. He is in our wedding photos. Up until Wes, he dominated the lock screen on both our phones.
When I was pregnant, it was hard to tell how much Bubba was able to sense about the coming situation. He is generally very attuned to our emotions and goings on, so I suspect he knew something was up. But I don't think he was prepared for when Wes finally came.
The day we brought Wessy home from the hospital, Bubba was eager to investigate. He nosed in on the carseat and gave Wes a long sniff followed by a thorough licking. Wes bursted into tears.
The next several weeks were difficult for Bubba. He went from receiving an extraordinary amount of attention to being all but ignored (by us--we had family and visitors who wonderfully gave him walks and pets and love). All of a sudden we were devoted to a little squirmy, screamy thing that came out of nowhere (to Bubba--my belly is not nowhere).
Around the time Wes came home, Bubba started to lick. He licked his bottom and hindquarters incessantly. He licked until he had raw spots and then he licked some more until they bled. We started putting a collar on him but he could sometimes still reach back to lick. The collar bothered his ears and made him shake his head constantly. We thought maybe he had fleas so we put extra frontline on him. Didn't help. The spots were never healing because he wouldn't stop licking them for long enough.
Finally, when Wes was three weeks old, we got desperate and went to the vet. And our vet immediately honed in on the situation. "He's licking because he feels abandoned." He went on, "Humans bite their fingernails when they're nervous. Animals lick and chew." The lightbulb went on.
The vet prescribed a taper of a sedative antidepressant and advised us to try to include Bubba in baby care activities. Now when I am feeding Wes, I invite Bubba over and pet him at the same time. We thank Bubba for protecting the baby and being a good guard dog and bringing us shoes. And it has worked. Bubba is now completely off the antidepressant and is lick-free. He has gone from being indifferent to protective towards Wes.
We love our buddy and are so glad he is doing better. And we hope that this is beginning of a beautiful relationship between our two babies.
New today...
-Wes grabbed a rattle for the first time! And then tried to eat it. Thus far he has shown only minimal intentional movement in his hands but today he really seemed to be pursuing some goal-oriented activities.
-He tries to stand up! No, not on his own. But when I hold him under his arms he puts his legs under himself and will support some of his own weight. Formerly he would just sort of slide into a little puddle if I tried to get him to do that.
-He grabs at his ears. Usually this is during his pooping valsalvas. He will often grab his onesie or his face but today was the first time he grabbed his ears.
-He sticks out his tongue. Not on purpose, but when he cries or is getting hungry his tongue will hang out a bit, which it didn't do before.
-He continues to enjoy batting at the jangly elephant and today seemed to be making himself laugh in the process.
-Silent crying: This is the worst. Wes was already an amateur silent-cryer but of late he's bringing his A-game. Once the insulting stimulus has been encountered, he screws up his face and opens his toothless mouth wide enough to see his epiglottis and then turns pink, then red, then an increasingly disturbing shade of purple. All while remaining completely silent. He stays like this for several beats beyond what seems safe. Then he takes a sharp, quick breath and explodes into shrieks.
-First time falling with him in my arms: I tripped over a couch pillow that had fallen on the floor and fell forward onto my knee. Providentially, the bassinet was right in front of me and I somehow managed to drop him only a few inches onto the soft mattress. He was stunned, resulting in an episode of silent crying (see above) but thank God, no injuries. So scary.
-He tries to stand up! No, not on his own. But when I hold him under his arms he puts his legs under himself and will support some of his own weight. Formerly he would just sort of slide into a little puddle if I tried to get him to do that.
-He grabs at his ears. Usually this is during his pooping valsalvas. He will often grab his onesie or his face but today was the first time he grabbed his ears.
-He sticks out his tongue. Not on purpose, but when he cries or is getting hungry his tongue will hang out a bit, which it didn't do before.
-He continues to enjoy batting at the jangly elephant and today seemed to be making himself laugh in the process.
-Silent crying: This is the worst. Wes was already an amateur silent-cryer but of late he's bringing his A-game. Once the insulting stimulus has been encountered, he screws up his face and opens his toothless mouth wide enough to see his epiglottis and then turns pink, then red, then an increasingly disturbing shade of purple. All while remaining completely silent. He stays like this for several beats beyond what seems safe. Then he takes a sharp, quick breath and explodes into shrieks.
-First time falling with him in my arms: I tripped over a couch pillow that had fallen on the floor and fell forward onto my knee. Providentially, the bassinet was right in front of me and I somehow managed to drop him only a few inches onto the soft mattress. He was stunned, resulting in an episode of silent crying (see above) but thank God, no injuries. So scary.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
New today...
-Wes clasped his hands together for the first time (that I've noticed). He is beginning to be aware that he does, in fact, have hands.
-He started making vocalizations. Up to now his sounds have been limited to crying, sighing, cooing and snoring. Now he is making distinct little shouts every so often.
-He met another baby up close--our friend Kari's four month old baby Elliot. Elliot reached out and started petting Wes, who was indifferent.
-He has started fitting into some of his smaller 3-6 month clothes.
-Wes had his first major up-the-back diaper blowout. It was right after church and heal so scored a direct hit on mommy's dress.
-He started making vocalizations. Up to now his sounds have been limited to crying, sighing, cooing and snoring. Now he is making distinct little shouts every so often.
-He met another baby up close--our friend Kari's four month old baby Elliot. Elliot reached out and started petting Wes, who was indifferent.
-He has started fitting into some of his smaller 3-6 month clothes.
-Wes had his first major up-the-back diaper blowout. It was right after church and heal so scored a direct hit on mommy's dress.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
I love the way you...
-Throw up your arms in a startle reflex and it looks like you are intensely conducting a symphony
-Show your huge gummy grill when you start your nyah-nyah-nyah crying
-Start cooing rapturously once you really get into a breastfeeding session
-Always smell so wonderful just like a baby every time I sniff your head, no matter how many people have petted or kissed you in a day
-Seem not to notice that you are shooting a high arc of urine onto the floor or the wall while you are laying innocently on the changing table
-Greedily accept your paci at night and make swift suck-suck-suck sounds with it
-Arch your back and purse your lips mid-nursing session. I know it's probably because you have reflux or something but I like to pretend it's you savoring the milky.
-Look like such a contented little burrito when we put you down to sleep in your swaddler
-Show your huge gummy grill when you start your nyah-nyah-nyah crying
-Start cooing rapturously once you really get into a breastfeeding session
-Always smell so wonderful just like a baby every time I sniff your head, no matter how many people have petted or kissed you in a day
-Seem not to notice that you are shooting a high arc of urine onto the floor or the wall while you are laying innocently on the changing table
-Greedily accept your paci at night and make swift suck-suck-suck sounds with it
-Arch your back and purse your lips mid-nursing session. I know it's probably because you have reflux or something but I like to pretend it's you savoring the milky.
-Look like such a contented little burrito when we put you down to sleep in your swaddler
New today...
-Ok, the hair grabbing is definitely on purpose
-He has enough hair now that the cowlick on the back of his head is a pronounced swirl
-He continues to improve at tracking objects with his eyes
-We found out he loves peek-a-boo! He'll coo and smile when we reveal our faces from behind our hands.
-He has enough hair now that the cowlick on the back of his head is a pronounced swirl
-He continues to improve at tracking objects with his eyes
-We found out he loves peek-a-boo! He'll coo and smile when we reveal our faces from behind our hands.
Lounging
Okay, doesn't he look GIANT in this picture? And with the angle of his chin and the tilt of his shoulder, he just looks like a real boy. NOT even a baby but at boy. DEAR WES, SLOW DOWN. I know it's a cliche and everything but...but...my baby. I would that he were tiny forever.
Friday, September 18, 2015
New today...
-Wes has earwax! Noticed it for the first time and picked some out of his ears today.
-The area of his head where he was formerly bald-ish is starting to fill in with fine blond hairs. Daddy is jealous.
-Eyelashes continue to grow darker and thicker on the daily.
-HE SMILED AT ME. My heart sang. Smiles are not just for Daddy anymore!
-His head control continues to improve. He can prop himself up like a sphinx and stare at you for almost an entire minute now. And then his head flops back down in a minimally controlled manner.
-He seems to be aware of Bubba.
-His face is getting even fatter. Looks like he is hiding acorns in his cheeks.
-He has started to get bored. It used to be that he was content staring at the sides of his bassinet, but now he seems to crave stimulation. He likes to be petting his doudou or shaking his little velcro toys or most preferably, being propped up on our knees so that he can stare back at us.
-The area of his head where he was formerly bald-ish is starting to fill in with fine blond hairs. Daddy is jealous.
-Eyelashes continue to grow darker and thicker on the daily.
-HE SMILED AT ME. My heart sang. Smiles are not just for Daddy anymore!
-His head control continues to improve. He can prop himself up like a sphinx and stare at you for almost an entire minute now. And then his head flops back down in a minimally controlled manner.
-He seems to be aware of Bubba.
-His face is getting even fatter. Looks like he is hiding acorns in his cheeks.
-He has started to get bored. It used to be that he was content staring at the sides of his bassinet, but now he seems to crave stimulation. He likes to be petting his doudou or shaking his little velcro toys or most preferably, being propped up on our knees so that he can stare back at us.
Walks with Wes
There were many nights during the later part of my pregnancy when it fell to me to walk Bubba. Usually these were nights when Stevo was working. I would come home from crossfit, cook dinner and eat it, and then just before bedtime I would take Bubba out for a spin around the block. It was usually quiet and cool by that time. It was during the summer the so sun would just be setting. I would walk around the neighborhood, still in workout clothes or maybe scrubs, listening to podcasts and contemplating all that was happening and what was yet to come.
Last night Stevo was working and it again fell to me to take Bubba out. This time Wes was no longer conveniently located inside of my womb, so I had to load him into the Ergo. He was initially somewhat fussy but calmed when I started walking. Walking in the quiet, dark streets holding the dog's leash with the protuberance of the baby in the Ergo in front of me brought me back to all the walks I took while pregnant. And I missed it a little bit.
There is something so incredibly exciting and mysterious about pregnancy. The unknown, the waiting, the expecting. I don't think I appreciated at the time. I was working so much and wary of being that pregnant lady, so I basically pretended that I wasn't pregnant and just got on with life. But when I was walking alone (well just me, the belly and Bubba) and everything else was quiet, the sweet sense of expectation crept in.
At the time, I considered it somewhat of an imposition to have to walk the dog on top of all the other things I had to take care of in an average day. But in retrospect it was a beautiful time. And last night, walking with Wes and feeling him squirm and sigh next to my chest instead of in my belly, I thought, this is what I was expecting. And then I made myself cry with my own sappiness.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
New today...
-His eyelashes grew longer and darker overnight. No, like literally overnight. They are definitely longer and darker than yesterday. Here's hoping they will be thick and pretty like daddy's!
-He started grabbing my hair. Can't tell if he's consciously doing so or if it's just an instinct to grasp the hair if he happens to hit it while flailing.
-He continues to reach out to pet his doudou and seemed to start smiling at his doudou today.
-He's outgrown size one diapers. His generous paunch spills over the top of size one diapers.
-He started grabbing my hair. Can't tell if he's consciously doing so or if it's just an instinct to grasp the hair if he happens to hit it while flailing.
-He continues to reach out to pet his doudou and seemed to start smiling at his doudou today.
-He's outgrown size one diapers. His generous paunch spills over the top of size one diapers.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
Things that they never tell you about being a parent...
Given that everyone and their cousins love to give you parenting advice, it seems profoundly ironic that there are all kinds of things about being a parent that are likely universally true but never mentioned. There is an entire shadow world out there of parenting lore of which people rarely speak. It seems that everyone prefers to ask you how much you are sleeping.
But here are some things I have noticed since becoming a parent that no one told me about (Stevo corroborates these, it's not just me being neurotic):
-Phantom crying: I hear Wes's cries in the shushing of the white noise machine, in the din of the bathroom fan and in riffs of music playing at the gym (heavy metal is the worst). When I "hear" him crying in this way, I will rush to check on him only to find a Wes who is deeply asleep and mostly silent.
-The surreal-ness (word?) of being a parent: At least once a day I will look at Wessy and think, OH MY GOD YOU'RE A REAL HUMAN BEING. You have ankles and an appendix and someday, God willing, you will be 31 years old and living your own life.
-Loving your child hurts: It hurts so bad because you love him so much. And he's so little. Now I'm crying.
-Despite loving your child so bad it hurts, you will also forget you have a child for a few moments here and there. Wes being a very recent addition, the fact that he lives in our home and doesn't go away is still sinking in. The other day I was absorbed in chopping vegetables when I looked up and saw the bassinet and was struck by a thunderbolt of realization and happiness. Picking him up out of the bassinet is a new thrill every morning. I have a son!
-You will also forget you ever didn't have a child. These days, when I think back on our wedding or trips we've taken, I find myself wondering who was watching Wes when we were doing that stuff. It's like he's kind of always been part of the picture.
I'm sure there are more things to be added but these are the ones that stand out at the moment.
But here are some things I have noticed since becoming a parent that no one told me about (Stevo corroborates these, it's not just me being neurotic):
-Phantom crying: I hear Wes's cries in the shushing of the white noise machine, in the din of the bathroom fan and in riffs of music playing at the gym (heavy metal is the worst). When I "hear" him crying in this way, I will rush to check on him only to find a Wes who is deeply asleep and mostly silent.
-The surreal-ness (word?) of being a parent: At least once a day I will look at Wessy and think, OH MY GOD YOU'RE A REAL HUMAN BEING. You have ankles and an appendix and someday, God willing, you will be 31 years old and living your own life.
-Loving your child hurts: It hurts so bad because you love him so much. And he's so little. Now I'm crying.
-Despite loving your child so bad it hurts, you will also forget you have a child for a few moments here and there. Wes being a very recent addition, the fact that he lives in our home and doesn't go away is still sinking in. The other day I was absorbed in chopping vegetables when I looked up and saw the bassinet and was struck by a thunderbolt of realization and happiness. Picking him up out of the bassinet is a new thrill every morning. I have a son!
-You will also forget you ever didn't have a child. These days, when I think back on our wedding or trips we've taken, I find myself wondering who was watching Wes when we were doing that stuff. It's like he's kind of always been part of the picture.
I'm sure there are more things to be added but these are the ones that stand out at the moment.
New today...
Things Wes has started doing today (or last couple of days)...
1. Blowing little bubbles with his drool while he sleeps
2. Intentionally reaching out to touch things: Most of his movements could still be described as exuberant flailing, however today he reached out to touch his doudou multiple times. His accuracy was variable but it did seem like he did it on purpose.
3. Exploring cause and effect: My friend Amy gave me little tiny plush toys on fabric bracelets that you can velcro around a baby's wrist. For the first time today, I put them on Wes. One of them was a little bee with a plastic rattle inside of it. Wes shook his arm many a time while exploring the phenomenon of how it produced noise. He also has a toy that is a plush elephant with a bell inside of it. I dangled the elephant in front of him and jingled it. He then focused on it and reached his closed fist out to the elephant and punched it lightly so it would jingle again.
4. Minding when his diapers are wet or dirty: Most of the last six weeks Wes has not demonstrated any evidence of caring if his diaper was very busy. However, there have been several instances over the past few days when he will whimper and fuss and then will stop when I change a very wet or soiled diaper.
5. Having a witching hour: Wes was just a solid gold baby for the first five to six weeks of his life. He was rarely fussy at all as long as I fed him promptly. He remains the Most Premium Baby in the World except for the hours between five and eight in the evening. As of late, he fusses incessantly during those hours for reasons that are usually quite opaque. The best (only) solution I have thus far come up with is to feed, feed, feed him until he is milk-drunk and can't stay awake. He has not yet figured out how to cry while asleep. Doesn't always work, though, because sometimes he loses his sh*t so much that he is crying too hard to nurse. Or he's not actually hungry and then he's like, ha ha, nice try pretty lady, I would prefer to continue screaming my head off. Other strategies for calming him include putting him in the sling, reading him stories (NEVER works, but entertains me somewhat), burping him one million different ways, "farting" him and giving him to daddy.
1. Blowing little bubbles with his drool while he sleeps
2. Intentionally reaching out to touch things: Most of his movements could still be described as exuberant flailing, however today he reached out to touch his doudou multiple times. His accuracy was variable but it did seem like he did it on purpose.
3. Exploring cause and effect: My friend Amy gave me little tiny plush toys on fabric bracelets that you can velcro around a baby's wrist. For the first time today, I put them on Wes. One of them was a little bee with a plastic rattle inside of it. Wes shook his arm many a time while exploring the phenomenon of how it produced noise. He also has a toy that is a plush elephant with a bell inside of it. I dangled the elephant in front of him and jingled it. He then focused on it and reached his closed fist out to the elephant and punched it lightly so it would jingle again.
4. Minding when his diapers are wet or dirty: Most of the last six weeks Wes has not demonstrated any evidence of caring if his diaper was very busy. However, there have been several instances over the past few days when he will whimper and fuss and then will stop when I change a very wet or soiled diaper.
5. Having a witching hour: Wes was just a solid gold baby for the first five to six weeks of his life. He was rarely fussy at all as long as I fed him promptly. He remains the Most Premium Baby in the World except for the hours between five and eight in the evening. As of late, he fusses incessantly during those hours for reasons that are usually quite opaque. The best (only) solution I have thus far come up with is to feed, feed, feed him until he is milk-drunk and can't stay awake. He has not yet figured out how to cry while asleep. Doesn't always work, though, because sometimes he loses his sh*t so much that he is crying too hard to nurse. Or he's not actually hungry and then he's like, ha ha, nice try pretty lady, I would prefer to continue screaming my head off. Other strategies for calming him include putting him in the sling, reading him stories (NEVER works, but entertains me somewhat), burping him one million different ways, "farting" him and giving him to daddy.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
You smell like...
Warm milk, baby sweat, dander, daddy's cologne and a hint of cinnamon. Or is it clove? (It's from the water in the baptismal font).
Wesley's Baptism
Today our little one was baptized. I am still absorbing and contemplating it all but I can certainly say it was a beautiful experience. As I said before, I didn't think much about whether Wes would be baptized when I was pregnant. For most of the pregnancy, we weren't attending any church regularly and we had not decided how (or if) a regular spiritual practice would fit into our life as a new family. When he came, it immediately seemed right that he not only attend church but also become part of a spiritual community that is going to join us in nurturing him. Hence the baptism.
In fact, Pastor Jim chose to make the entire sermon about baptism. He spoke of not only its benefits but its reciprocal responsibilities. Being recognized as part of the community of believers means that you must act out your beliefs. Wes, we hope you will understand this and have the courage to do so. Being baptized means you will have a whole congregation of people (and many others who love and support you but could not be present today) to help you do it.
Pastor Jim also spoke of how God knew Wes before we did, before he was even the tiniest flicker. This made me misty-eyed, as I do sometimes contemplate when Wes began. I often think he has been headed towards us for a long time and maybe he has always been a part of us that we couldn't yet see. Maybe he lived in both of our hearts before we knew each other. I don't know, only God does.
We will have to fill Wes in about the whole experience someday, though, as he slept through the entire thing. I fed him right before the service to prevent a meltdown before the baptism was actually due to take place (It wasn't until after the sermon). I (he) perhaps overdid it a little bit, though, because he was sacked OUT. He slept like an angel even when suspended (in my arms) over the baptismal font and only flinched slightly each time one of the three splashes of water (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) rained down on his head. When Pastor Jim held him overhead for the entire congregation to see, he stirred slightly but then snuggled back into his curled-up bean shape and
continued napping.
Wes, you have no idea how many little old ladies patted your head and called you preshus today. A LOT. Because you are. Precious to your father and me but also precious and wonderful in the eyes of the Lord. We love you so much!
Saturday, September 12, 2015
"Busy pampers"
Since shortly after Wes was born, I started referring to his dirty diapers (mainly just the poopy ones) as "busy." The poopier they are, the busier they can be considered to be. And even though he actually uses a combination of cloth diapers and high-dollar sustainable disposable diapers, we both refer to his diapers as "pampers." Hence the "busy pampers."
Almost every time I take Wes to change him, I ask him ahead of time, "Do you have a busy pamper? Is your pamper so busy??" He will generally look at me sincerely and furrow his brow, which means "Why YES, funny that you ask. My pampers are so busy right now."
Then when I am changing him and encounter (as promised) a spectacularly poopy diaper, I exclaim, "Now DAS a busy pamper! SO BUSY!!" Then Wes looks at me like, hey pretty lady, I told you so. I do this every time I change his diaper and it doesn't get old.
But today I took it to a whole new level.
Me: "Do you think he has a busy pamper right now?"
Stevo: "It's probably pretty busy."
Me: "Hey Wes, is your pamper busy right now? Like so busy? If I called your pamper would I get a busy signal? Is your pamper working full-time? Is your pamper taking classes part-time at the JC? Does your pamper go to night school? WES, IS YOUR PAMPER A RESIDENT?!"
Stevo: "Whoa there."
Wes: "Yes mom, my pampers are THAT BUSY."
Friday, September 11, 2015
This is important
Today Wes got his two month vaccines. He is actually only six weeks old today, but since we are going on our trip right when he turns two months, we wanted to get him immunized beforehand (germs on the plane and snotty relatives and all that). Due to the efficiency-loving magic of Kaiser, we did not have to make an appointment to get the shots. Our doctor had already ordered them at our prior appointment, so we just showed up at the "injection suite" to have them done.
When you think about it, having a separate area for shots is a brilliant idea. It allows folks like us to bypass the snotty, sneezing, barfing kids in the waiting and exam rooms. It prevents kids from associating the doctors' exam rooms with unpleasant procedures. And most near and dear to my heart, it improves the workflow of the clinic by centralizing the often rate-limiting step of preparing and administering vaccines. Don't ask why I am so concerned with the workflow of other people's clinics.
Anyway, today was an important day for Wes. Not only because he had the privilege of partaking in the greatest triumph of modern medicine (VACCINES FOR THE WIN!!!), but because today he Learned A Lesson.
The lesson is that we have to face up the hard stuff, because often it is for our own good. Stevo and I have both encountered parents who have been hesitant to vaccinate their children because they think it will hurt them. They are often concerned about the child's physical pain in the moment as well as some potential (imaginary) harms that the vaccines might bring. Before he got his shots we told Wes in no uncertain terms that he was going to have to man up and take the pain because vaccines are one of the best examples of how enduring a discomfort in the present can prevent far worse troubles in the future.
So Wes took a deep breath, steeled himself and took it like a champ.
Kind of.
Poor little Wessy has spent the remainder of the day alternately whimpering, clinging or screaming bloody murder. He has a little red welt on his thigh (hurts mama's heart! ouch!) where he got the shots. Right now he is glued to my chest and every time I move he will stir and scream like someone is trying to kill him. This is not fun. It's not meant to be.
In days to come, we will have to remind ourselves that endeavoring to keep our child completely comfortable will ruin him. Wes, we hurt you because we love you. I'm sorry about your little thigh but I'm not sorry you got your shots.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
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