Baby, I'm amazed

It really is crazy to be able to watch someone learn something. The detailed thought process, the first few failed attempts, the slowly growing confidence. And, ultimately, the mastering and subsequent pride.

Having a baby allows me to watch this amazing journey, in one stage or another, on a daily basis. It's like my own personal Discovery Channel.

H suddenly took on three new skills in the span of three days:

Pincher grasp. H has been working on this one, but it was hit or miss. Typically, the Puffs we practiced with would end up in his palm, and he would slam his entire fist into his mouth in the hopes that one or more would land within. This weekend, the delicate thumb to pointer maneuver suddenly became clear. He eyed the Puff. He slowly lowered the hand, fingers apart and at the ready. Grab, raise, and -- success! So in love with his new ability, H has been showing it off randomly ever since. Chilling on the changing table, watching the puppy, in the bath ... he'll suddenly stop, look at his hand, and repeatedly open and close his two fingers. Just making sure he still has the power. So adorable.

Clapping. I make H clap all the time, but it occurred to me last week that if babies learn much through imitation, I should be clapping more often. So it began -- every event was cause for jubilant celebration. We clapped when H finished dinner. Clapped when a good song came on the radio. Clapped when Daddy got home. Suddenly, he was clapping, too. No, not when I did it. Again, this skill is showing itself at the most random of times. He doesn't seem to understand its connection to joy, he only sees it as this really cool bringing together of his hands. I'll turn around and he'll be clapping away, and then when I try and join in, he stops and looks at me like I'm nuts. Which, perhaps, I am.

Sitting-to-crawling. No, we have not mastered crawling yet, but he's one step closer. H now throws his hands forward while sitting and pushes his body weight on his chubby fists, boosting himself into a crawling pose. Then, of course, he just hangs there until he slides to his tummy or cries in frustration, but again, it's the right direction. Literally.

With all this quick learning in a few short days, I'm now totally convinced he's going to pick up other things in a matter of seconds. I'll look up at the TV and he'll be crawling, or I'll go to answer the phone and he'll be walking behind me. Crazy, amazing, wondrous boy.

Sooooooo big!

Well compared with an 8 lb newborn, that is. We went to visit a friend's new lil one this past weekend and I was shocked to see how tiny she was next to my big boy. I cannot believe H was ever that small. How can so much change in seven short months? How is my little guy seven months already?

Aside from just being larger in size, H is hoping over milestones like he's playing hopscotch. He hugs now. Strangely, very tightly when he's naked (I don't know, don't ask!). He kisses, too. There's more drool than lip, but he'll grab your face and plant one on ya with gusto.

He's also taken to some serious babbling. Dadadadadada, babababababa, nonononono, yeayeayeayeayea, mamamamama. Yea, mama is the least popular of the blurbs, but it's ok. He's also currently in the "Mama Or No One" phase, so it all balances out.

Crawling is also just days/weeks away, me thinks. He's really into getting on all fours now, but he just hangs there, looking around. Then he rocks a bit, then lets his legs slowly slide backwards until he's doing the Cobra pose. He knows what to do, it seems, he's just working up the strength to go for it. He can take his sweet time I've decided....one more day immobile is one more day without an ugly toilet seat lock in the powder room.

6 months!

Eeeeek! My little guy is six months today. Half a year in the blink of an eye. Next time I turn around he's going to be donning a construction-paper cap for pre-school graduation, speeding off on a two-wheeler, or ::gasp:: getting behind the wheel of a car. Be still my heart.

H had his well-baby check-up on Friday and while I think he's fabulous and brilliant and dashing, according to the growth charts he's pretty darn average. Just a scootch shy of 17 lbs. and a mighty 2 feet, 2/5 inches tall. He also took his immunizations like a man, cause he rolls like that.

I honestly am having a hard time grasping the fact that he's on his way to his first birthday. Despite many hard days and countless sleepless nights that seemed to drag on for eternity, the past six months have flown by. As he was practicing his pulling up and "walking" this weekend, I looked at him and had the hardest time remembering when he was tiny and just a little bundle in my arms. I want to remember it all, but I guess the mind only holds on to so much. Thank goodness for the 636372-odd photos I have taken of him since day one. :)

So Happy Half Birthday my sweet boy. Don't grow up too fast.

Standing tall

Yes, I'm referring to my 5-month-old son. Insert totally scared and freaked out emoticon here.

I always knew H was a stander. We have a photo of him standing on my lap from the hospital. He was one-day-old, and he was putting pressure on his itty bitty, still-ink-stained feet. He's always loved to stand -- any crying spell or hissy fit can be ended by standing him up on your lap. It's like his favorite thing. Ever.

So yesterday evening my little boy and I started his bedtime routine with a bath. He was splashing his feet as he always does, giggling as he went. A swift kick to the left sent him off balance, and his butt slid from under him, pulling him under the water to his chin. Of course, he LOVED this, and every time I righted him, he pushed himself under again. I was not going to worry about him getting his head under, so instead I turned him around in the tub. So what does he do? He reaches out to the lip of the baby tub, grabs on, and pulls himself up to standing. Whaaaa?

I quickly grabbed him, rinsed his hair, and pulled him out. Pulling up at 5 months? Pulling up in a slippery tub on a flexible surface half his height? No no no no no.

So to BRU I go this weekend, looking for a safer bath for Mr. Standerson. He's going to walk before he crawls, isn't he? Dang it.

Reaching

Little man has a new trick and it's breakin' his momma's heart.

H has begun reaching for me. And W, too, but I like it when it does it for me better. ;)

For awhile now he would reach for a toy when on his blanket playing. I mean, hey, how else would he be able to get it? Then he began reaching for the dog when she would sit with us on the sofa because, to H, the pup is the best toy he's got. But now, when I pick him up from school, he sees me and reaches for me to take him! It's like the best little hug ever. He likes me, he really likes me!

He's got a pseudo hug going on, too. More like a loop one arm around my neck and place head on my shoulder maneuver, but it works for me. And then there are H kisses. H doesn't quite get the puckering action yet, so instead he opens his mouth and proceeds to drool on your cheek. Sweetest thing ever.

5 months, milestones, and making it work

Friday H turned 5 months. Little man is growing up so fast! I can hardly stand it!

To celebrate, H decided to become an offical sitter. Now we had been toying with the idea of sitting for weeks now. He would tripod for a bit, or sit for 5 seconds only to teeter over like a falling redwood. But Friday he really got it. He sat. He reached for a toy and didn't go crashing. He picked up said toy and shoved it into his mouth with glee. Yahoo!



Now that he's conquered this, H has already thrown himself into Operation: Crawl. He's determined. He pushes up his arms and torso and wriggles his feet furiously. If only he could figure out how to life that cute butt of his skyward. He lays there and grunts and moves and hopes but no movement. He gets so frustrated, but when I try to help him or turn him over for a break, he gets even angrier. Stop it, mom. I can DO it. Sweet, stubborn child.

In work/life news, W and I chatted and decided I really don't have a choice with the work schedule. We need my income to live the way we are and we want to have more put away before we consider dropping down to one income. Especially if we plan to have a second spawn. So W is going to take H to school in the mornings, allowing me to get into work mega early. I will then be able to leave before nightfall and get him from school and home at a decent hour. This means that nearly always H will be alseep by the time W gets home, but there's just no other way. At least they'll have some boy bonding time in the mornings.

I'll be keeping my eyes open for some miracle dream job that allows me to work whenever suits me while making six figures plus a company convertable (ha!), but this will have to do until then.