Ode to a Swing...

No, not more poetry. Promise. This is about one of my favorite baby products - our Graco Lovin Hug swing. We got it when he was about five weeks old and he naps so well in it. At daycare, they are lucky if he naps for an hour. Total. All day. But, in his swing with his blankie, he will nap at least two hours in the morning and an hour or two in the afternoon. I plop him in the swing when he gets drowsy and tuck in his blankie and he puts himself to sleep. So nice!

It was a real turning point in my disordered, sleep-deprived new-mamahood life when I realized I could actually count him sleeping for a long stretch of time twice a day. I felt human again.

We didn't purchase a swing before he was born. My brother and sister-in-law gave us theirs, but we managed to break it the first week we used it. Then we visited my inlaws in VA when M was just over a month old and they bought one for him to nap in. It was love at first swing for M.

Every weekend I have grand plans to start putting him in his crib for his naps, but the thought of giving up those lovely naps is a bit tough. Thank goodness the swing is safe up to 35 lbs!

M at five weeks, the first time in his swing.

This Moment

This Moment - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. A beautiful idea from soulemama.

Eleven Months

Eleven months old today! I realized yesterday that my little boy really isn’t a baby anymore. It doesn’t make me sad, because I love every day with him and take such joy watching him grow, but it did make me pause. Before he was born I could imagine having a baby, a little lump to feed and change. I’ve dreamed about having a baby since I was hardly more than a baby. There’s a story about my mom knowing it was time to get me a doll when I was two (she didn’t want to gender me, ah the 70s) when she found me in the kitchen rocking a dishtowel like a baby. But, don’t think I really pictured what it would be like to have a little walking, almost-talking person. It’s the most wonderful thing I’ve ever done.

Three weeks ago, over the course of seven days, M took his first steps, popped his two bottom teeth and started saying “Dah-dee” whenever Jon walked into the room. It was amazing. And it’s only gotten better.

He’s now full-on walking. He can walk across the room, turn around and walk back for a hug, he can walk while holding a toy and he can squat down and get back up. How cool is that? I helped make a little person who can walk!

He’s primarily eating table food, but still likes some purees. He likes strips of foods rather than dices. He loves gnawing on a stalk of steamed celery. I noticed tonight that he likes experimenting with foods when he he’s in the Beco rather than in his high chair. A bit odd. He was willing to try blackberries and tomatoes for the first time when I fed him in the Beco, but it took a few tries before he would eat them when I gave them to him in his highchair. He’s always been good with a cup and a sippy cup, but now he’s able to figure out which end’s up on the sippy.

Sleep is still hit or miss. We were doing really well before our trip to the Cape. When we were there he did not sleep well at all. It was rough. Now we’re trying to get back on track. I’m a bit more willing to let him grumble and fuss in the middle of the night than daddy, eleven months of night feedings are wearing thin. Actually, I wouldn’t mind the waking and feeding, but he’s had a lot of trouble going back to sleep.

Playing skittles with daddy.

I love playing with my little man! He is so wonderfully curious in everything, especially electrical cords and plugs. But, he’s a lot better about those than he was a month ago. Our practice of saying “no,” gently but firmly and then distracting him seems to be working. Or, the fact that we’ve put up the baby gates and given him almost free run of the downstairs has sufficiently distracted him. I love just letting him explore. I’ll lie down on the floor and he’ll make the rounds around the room coming over to hug mama every once in a while and then going back to playing.

Everyday I am grateful to have such a sweet, loving little boy. Even at his grumpiest he will smile when I give him a cuddle. I love this boy so much. Oh little M, I am so glad I get to be your mama.

Cape Cod

We introduced M to The Cape last weekend. Jon's mother has a house and he spent much of his summers there growing up. It was loads of fun seeing Grandma and Bampa and swimming in the ocean.

Checking out the kids beach with Daddy.

We drove out on Nauset Beach and practiced walking on the sand...

...and falling on the sand...

...but mostly playing with the sand.

Sometimes the sand played back. (Playing "so big" with his shadow.)

Ten years ago this was my favorite poem...

The Talking Back of Miss Valentine Jones
by June Jordan

well I wanted to braid my hair
bathe and bedeck my
self so fine
so fully aforethought for
your pleasure
see:
I wanted to travel and read
and runaround fantastic
into war and peace:
I wanted to
surf
dive
fly
climb
conquer
and be conquered
THEN
I wanted to pickup the phone
and find you asking me
if I might possibly be alone
some night
(so I could answer cool
as the jewels I would wear
on bareskin for you
digmedaddy delectation:)
"WHEN
you comin ova?"
But I had to remember to write down
margarine on the list
and shoepolish and a can of
sliced pineapple in casea company
and a quarta skim milk cause Teresa's
gaining weight and don' nobody groove on
that much
girl
and next I hadta sort for darks and lights before
the laundry hit the water which I had
to kinda keep an eye on be-
cause if the big hose jumps the sink again that
Mrs. Thompson gointa come upstairs
and brain me with a mop don' smell too
nice even though she hang
it headfirst out the winda
and I had to check
on William like to
burn hisself to death with fever
boy so thin be
callin all day "Momma! Sing to me?"
"Ma! Am I gone die?" and me not
wake enough to sit beside him longer than
to wipeaway the sweat or change the sheets/
his shirt and feed him orange
juice before I fall out of sleep and
Sweet My Jesus ain but one can
left
and we not thru the afternoon
and now
you (temporarily) shownup with a thing
you says' a poem and you
call it
"Will The Real Miss Black America Standup?"

guilty po' mouth
about duty beauties of my
headrag
boozeup doozies about
never mind
cause love is blind

well
I can't use it

and the very next bodacious Blackman
call me queen
because my life ain shit
because (in any case) he ain been here to share it
with me
(dish for dish and do for do and
dream for dream)
I'm gone scream him out my house
be-
cause what I wanted was
to braid my hair/bathe and bedeck my
self so fully be-
cause what I wanted was
your love
not pity
be-
cause what I wanted was
your love
your love

Song for a Little House

I'm glad our house is a little house,
not too tall nor too wide:
I'm glad the hovering butterflies
feel free to come inside.

Our little house is a friendly house.
it is not shy or vain;
it gossips with the talking trees,
and makes friends with the rain.

And quick leaves cast a shimmer of green
against our whited walls,
and in the phlox, the courtious bees
are paying duty calls.

Christopher Morley

More nostalgia…this time last year...

The extreme heat this summer has made me continually grateful that I’m not pregnant this year. The thought of being a huge pregnant lady in weeks of 90 degree weather is pretty scary. A year ago last weekend was my baby shower. It was lovely, but boy was I BIG!

Hanging out on the porch with my niece post-baby shower.

Because sometimes I'm in the mood for poetry...

My Symphony

To live content with small means;
to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich;
to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly;
to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart;
to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony.

William Henry Channing

(I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the 19th century Unitarian transindentalists)

Nostalgia

M isn't even 11 months old, but I'm already starting to get a bit nostalgic about his itty bitty baby days. 10 months ago I wouldn't believe that I would ever feel that way. It was SO hard in the beginning. No sleep, nursing was hard, I was hormonal. But now, not so many months on, it doesn't seem that bad. I suppose this is why the world is not full of only children.

Sleeping on Daddy - 4 days old.

Climbing

In Maryland M climbed the stairs for the first time. Well, one stair. But, oh my goodness - time for us to be even more careful!

So proud! (excuse the lumpy, exposed diaper.)

Date Night with my Boy

The hubby is at a golf outing until late tonight so I solo-parented dinner/bath/bed. I originally planned to take him to the pool after work, but the sky looked ominous and the forecast called for thunderstorms. Then, I thought we would play in our backyard in his kiddy pool, but we arrived home to a freshly fertilized lawn. It's supposed to be organic and non-toxic, but I'm not chancing it with my little buddy. So, date night ended up being M practicing his walking while mama followed him around with a camera.

For dinner we had steamed asparagus and broccolini, cherries and cheerios. He LOVED the steamed veggies. Best dinner we've had in a while.

After dinner we tried to figure out a way around the babyproofing on the fireplace.

What? I wasn't doin' anything?

Then we tried to break some coasters. (And kinda succeeded. Oops.)

We helped daddy taste his bills. (Yummy!)


And we practiced lots of walking!

Maryland

This weekend was spent in Maryland with the inlaws. M had his first ride on Bampa's boat, and even took a turn as captain.

He had a swim with Mama and loved the water (Mama was a bit creeped out by the fish nibbling on her toes.)

And enjoyed yummy food at our favorite Maryland restaurant, Deep Creek. Mama and Daddy had crab cakes, M had fruit puree, cauliflower and cheerios. Good thing he didn't know what he was missing.

Best of all - he slept through the night. Apparently, all we have to do is take him for a four hour drive, hour long boat ride, swim, then stay up late at a busy restaurant to get a full night sleep. It might be worth it.

Dipping M's toes in Maine water for the first time. He liked it!

More Joys of Parenthood

Yesterday, my dear boy ended the day with a dodgy tummy and I ended up covered in vomit. It’s amazing the things you learn about yourself when you become a parent. One interesting discovery I made is that I can handle lots of tough situations, but when it comes to vomit I freeze. Just for a second or two, but as soon as he starts with the productive gagging my mind goes blank and I have no idea what to do. Of course, then I snap out of it and go into action-mama mode. I am grateful that I don’t get sick to my stomach at the sight/smell of vomit. That would suck, because it goes without saying that when you have a sick and crying baby you really have to focus on him.

We’re still not sure why he was sick, but was a little quiet all evening and didn’t eat all that much at dinner. He does seem to have started teething again recently and had the same symptoms last time he got sick. We did our normal bedtime ritual – bath, cuddle, bottle and then I put him to bed. A few minutes later he started to fuss. I went up to give him the rest of his bottle and blegh, all over mama. Poor little boy was so sad and confused. After shouting for Jon, I took him to the bathroom for a shower with mama, which cheered him right up. Jon cleaned the bedroom up and I dressed M in fresh jammies. He was cheerful and ready to play, but thankfully he settled once we rocked a bit.

Kids really are kinda gross.

But, how wonderful it is that there are so many more beautiful, amazing aspects of parenthood. Earlier that evening M walked halfway across the family room, paused to pick up a toy, and then walked across the rest of the room. How amazing that we made a person that can now walk! I’m so glad I get to be this little boy’s mama.

Since I don't want to post vomit pictures (or indeed, take them) I'll post a picture of little M in his pool.

Letter to my boy...

Dear little Mr. M,

This morning you woke up way too early - 5:00 am - so, we had an early breakfast.

Toast, egg and chicken sausage strips with blueberry sauce on the side. Yum! You liked the blueberries best (as you can tell by the above picture,) but you enjoyed gnawing on the toast too.

My darling little man, so far you are not a huge fan of solid food, either purees or actual solids. Unfortunate, because you have a mama who loves cooking for you! I was a bit afraid at first that you just didn't like my cooking, but I tried jarred and that didn't thrill you either.

But don't worry my boy, mama will prevail! Today daddy and I took the day off work and caught up on chores (and lots of relaxing!) and I cooked for you. I made star pasta with ground chicken and veggies, curried lentils with veggies and brown rice pudding with raisins. Hopefully one, or all, of these dishes will tempt you! If not, that's ok too, I had fun making them.

Love always

Mama

This Moment

This Moment - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. A beautiful idea from soulemama.

Maplewoodstock

We embraced our inner suburbanite last weekend with a trip to Maplewoodstock with friends from town. M loved hanging out with his ladies and it was nice to see the grownups. In the picture above M was concentrating very hard on the music and drumming along on daddy's hands.