Monday, June 02, 2008

Samson: Month Seven



I think we've hit that point where things just get better and better. I didn't think anything could be better than last month with the whole sitting up thing and the decrease in crying levels. But month seven has brought many fun and exciting things. Highlights:

Solid food! This kid was born to eat. We started out with jars of food, but have since transitioned into the home made stuff--because, you know, I love my son. And when you love your kids, you make their food at home. And if you really love them, you chew it up and regurgitate it for them instead of using a blender.



Anyways.

Samson loves him the applesauce. Sweet potatoes and butternut squash are also on the favorites list, but there's nothing he doesn't like. It's kind of like feeding time at the penguin area of the aquarium; it's a big attraction whenever we have guests. We have many friends who have fed and changed Samson. That will come in handy at his wedding.

Speaking of food, Samson is now a self-feeder. He holds his own bottles, event he super hefty morning 8 ouncer. The only bottle left for poor old me to hold is the bedtime bottle which is administered in the rocking chair, as part of the bedtime routine. This is kind of freaking me out.



Push ups are now commonplace, and the backwards inchworm move appears every so often. Full blown mobility is imminent. We moved out of the two story place just in time.

The cutest thing for sure is reaching for Max or me. He's always loved to be held, and now he can demand it in a way that is not to be taken lightly. Who can say no to big blue eyes and tiny little arms outstretched? This kid is going to be able to get away with murder.



If you come to our new house, you're sure to hear the sounds of babbling. It sounds like this: ababababababababa. Of course he's talking about Max, who is known as Aba. The babbling is often combined with the grabbing of a toy and the flailing about of said toy. I can watch this forever.

Finally, FINALLY he's sleeping through the night again. No 3 or 4 am feedings, it's bedtime at 7 and up again at 6. AWESOME. Nothing could make me happier.

The end of month seven saw the demise of the diaper rash that started early in month six. Not huge news for most of you, but a cause for great joy in our home. It's hard to see a baby with an angry red behind. Normal baby butt is one of the sweetest, most kissable things in the world. Dry, red, chapped baby butt makes me want to cry. The winning combo was a daily bath with cornstarch, Desitin with each diaper change, and Huggies sensitive wipes, for those who are keeping track.




Month seven also brought the announcement of the first directly inspired by Samson pregnancy! Our good friends are expecting in November, and I award complete inspiration rights to Sam.

Auntie Mir made her first appearance in month seven--first of many. A trip to Portland is in the works for month eight.

Grass! We have a big backyard now, and nothing is as new and exciting as sitting in the grass and pulling grass and eating grass. Except for sitting in the sandbox. Which lasted all of 1.8 seconds as he grabbed his first fistful of sand and promptly put it in his mouth.



Our first non-grandparent baby sitter! Rosa came over and sat with Samson so max and I could go see Indiana Jones last weekend. I think Rosa had more fun than Max did (I liked the movie, dammit).

Oh, and this is awesome: I clipped ALL TEN fingernails without clipping ANY fingertips! Obviously, I rock. It only took me seven months to get to this point. No autographs, please.

I'm feeling all around more competent as a parent this month. I seem to have found a pretty decent balance between not sweating the small stuff and doing what I can to raise a happy and healthy person. As anyone with a kid knows, the challenges are HUGE, to your sanity, your patience, your time management skills, your sense of self, your relationship. And the rewards make it completely worth it. Every day, things change just enough to keep me on my toes. One morning, he'll decide not to nap. Or he'll totally loose it at Target. Or he'll sit quietly on his play mat and entertain himself for over an hour. It's always something different, and lots of things just make me smile, and lots of things make me lock myself in the bathroom and cry. But everything makes me feel like we're getting somewhere, like we're accomplishing the stuff we're supposed to be accomplishing.



Onward and upward!

2 comments:

Sheepishlion said...

You're doing awesome mama bird! He is getting cuter and cuter, and looking more like you guys every day. I can't wait to see your new place.

Deborah said...

Aw, thanks. We're pretty happy with the way this experiment has turned out. Almost as good as a puppy.