It feels like I'm spending a lot of my blogging time writing about the same things. While Connor is growing rapidly and changing a little every day, the shifts are so subtle that they don't come out easily in the blog entries. But I made a promise to myself and damn it, I'm going to keep it.
Leigh had her normal Saturday morning activities to attend to and Connor wasn't down for his usual post-feeding nap, so I was up at about 7:30 AM to keep an eye on him. We had some good father/son time since Leigh also had a haircut scheduled and didn't get back until the afternoon. We had a good time, although I didn't get much accomplished. He did go down for a couple of 30 minute naps, which let me at least get my lunch and the dishes handled.
After Leigh got home, we spent some time relaxing as a family, then started getting ready for "Date Night". Leigh's father and step-mother had agreed to watch Connor (in truth, I think we could charge people to watch him instead of vice-versa, but...) so that the two of us could go out for a little while. We had a good time (a review will be coming tomorrow on my food blog), but every 20 or 30 minutes, we kept checking our phones to make sure that there weren't any calls coming in about the Spud.
When we got back, Connor was in a good mood. He had apparently fussed for a bit after we left, but it seems it was only gas. We got him home, changed him, fed him, and he passed right out. He's been quiet in his crib since then.
I still can't believe that I've got a child sometimes. But looking at him, watching him, and thinking about the way I feel every time I see him, I can't deny that he's my son. It's just weird to realize that I'm a father. I don't know how long it'll take to get used to the idea.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Better late than never
I passed out unexpectedly last night, so I didn't get a chance to write yesterday's official blog post. Nothing worse than passing out stone-cold sober. But at least it meant that I was up early to take care of Connor this morning. But more on that tonight in the Saturday post.
Friday was a pretty typical day. Work with the promise of a baby at the end of the day when I get home to keep me going.
When I got home, Connor was chowing down, but he finished pretty quickly thereafter. To free our hands so we could eat dinner, Leigh and I put him in his bouncy saucer and his eyes were immediately drawn to the dangling bird. Over the past few days, he's been trying his hardest to reach that bird and stick it in his mouth. He'd managed to grab the tail feathers, but wasn't quite tall enough to get further.
We'd tried putting a book under him to give a little more height, but it was small enough that he had trouble staying on top of it. So, in a moment of inspiration, Leigh decided that putting the Wii Fit board under him would solve everything.
Needless to say, Connor's got a new favorite game.
Friday was a pretty typical day. Work with the promise of a baby at the end of the day when I get home to keep me going.
When I got home, Connor was chowing down, but he finished pretty quickly thereafter. To free our hands so we could eat dinner, Leigh and I put him in his bouncy saucer and his eyes were immediately drawn to the dangling bird. Over the past few days, he's been trying his hardest to reach that bird and stick it in his mouth. He'd managed to grab the tail feathers, but wasn't quite tall enough to get further.
We'd tried putting a book under him to give a little more height, but it was small enough that he had trouble staying on top of it. So, in a moment of inspiration, Leigh decided that putting the Wii Fit board under him would solve everything.
Needless to say, Connor's got a new favorite game.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Bonus Post: Firsts I'm Looking Forward To
Leigh and I received a baby book as a gift and, like most baby books, it has a list of firsts that you can record for later child-embaressment. But while things like "first tooth" and "first word" are important to record, they don't include a lot of the things that I want to remember. So for my long delayed but promised bonus post, I present to you...Connor 1sts that I want to see.
(Note: If any of these seem odd, remember that this is my list and there are a lot of things, such as where I grew up and my overwhelming love of food, that color my perspective.)
(Note: If any of these seem odd, remember that this is my list and there are a lot of things, such as where I grew up and my overwhelming love of food, that color my perspective.)
- First soft pretzel
- First cheesesteak
- First pizza (date and flavor)
- First ice cream (date and flavor)
- First book read on his own
- First movie in a theater
- First video game
- First complete sentence
- First running attack hug
- First joke
- First hand-made card
- First brain-freeze
Running around
I took a half day at work today so I could get some errands taken care of and surprise Leigh. I knew Connor had been really fussy, so when she got home, I was waiting for her and able to take him off of her hands for a while.
He was really gassy again, but between a few burps, farts, and some Mylicon, he settled back down. What amazed me is that between the fussiness and cries, he was still full of smiles. He's definitely one of the most sweet tempered children I've ever known and I'm incredibly thankful for that.
So while I was running errands, I stopped at Best Buy. I had a couple of gift cards and had something I wanted to pick up. While I was there anyway, I decided to pick up a few movies. And that was where I discovered Shaun the Sheep.
I remember being introduced to Wallace and Gromit back in the mid-90s and finding that the same company had made a series of animated shorts starring a sheep (who bears a striking resemblance to Floppy) was too much for me to resist. I hope Connor enjoys it as much as I think I will.
Anyway, enough rambling for tonight.
He was really gassy again, but between a few burps, farts, and some Mylicon, he settled back down. What amazed me is that between the fussiness and cries, he was still full of smiles. He's definitely one of the most sweet tempered children I've ever known and I'm incredibly thankful for that.
So while I was running errands, I stopped at Best Buy. I had a couple of gift cards and had something I wanted to pick up. While I was there anyway, I decided to pick up a few movies. And that was where I discovered Shaun the Sheep.
I remember being introduced to Wallace and Gromit back in the mid-90s and finding that the same company had made a series of animated shorts starring a sheep (who bears a striking resemblance to Floppy) was too much for me to resist. I hope Connor enjoys it as much as I think I will.
Anyway, enough rambling for tonight.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Washing the Sheep
It may just be that it's late, but I can't help but think that I came up with a title that sounds much too dirty.
Anyway, Connor spent another fairly restless day with Leigh, but by the time I got home he was relaxing on the couch while Leigh was making dinner (Chocolate chip pancakes and turkey bacon. Brinner FTW!). After we ate, we got Connor into the bath and, while he idly munched on his toes, I turned my attention to my son's best friend.
Floppy spends a lot of time with various parts in the Spud's mouth. In the course of an hour, I've seen all four legs, the muzzle, both ears, and the tail spend time between the gums. He spends so much time in Connor's mouth, in fact, that even after he was left at the cabinet shop overnight, his ears were still wet in the morning.
Needless to say, he's gotten a bit dirty and his ears have taken on a concentrated baby-droll smell. So while Leigh took care of one side of Connor, I scrubbed away at Floppy.
Now clean but damp, Floppy is spending the rest of the night watching over Connor as he sleeps. His usual position in the crib has been filled in by Floppette. And tomorrow, when he's dry, he'll resume his usual place at his best friend's side.
Anyway, Connor spent another fairly restless day with Leigh, but by the time I got home he was relaxing on the couch while Leigh was making dinner (Chocolate chip pancakes and turkey bacon. Brinner FTW!). After we ate, we got Connor into the bath and, while he idly munched on his toes, I turned my attention to my son's best friend.
Floppy spends a lot of time with various parts in the Spud's mouth. In the course of an hour, I've seen all four legs, the muzzle, both ears, and the tail spend time between the gums. He spends so much time in Connor's mouth, in fact, that even after he was left at the cabinet shop overnight, his ears were still wet in the morning.
Needless to say, he's gotten a bit dirty and his ears have taken on a concentrated baby-droll smell. So while Leigh took care of one side of Connor, I scrubbed away at Floppy.
Now clean but damp, Floppy is spending the rest of the night watching over Connor as he sleeps. His usual position in the crib has been filled in by Floppette. And tomorrow, when he's dry, he'll resume his usual place at his best friend's side.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Grunting
Over the past couple of days, Connor's been grunting during some feedings. His face gets red and it seems like he's trying to poop, but he's not. It doesn't seem to be constipation; he's pooping fairly regularly. But it's weird and it's interrupting his feeding.
According to Leigh, the Spud has been a lot grumpier in the afternoons. He's still not napping much or well and he requires a lot of attention, which keeps Leigh from getting much work done. As much as we hate having to do it, I know Leigh is looking forward to having a regular babysitter.
Other than that, there isn't a whole lot going on. Got in some good playing on the floor time with Connor this evening. He was in a pretty good mood once I got home, although that had apparently only started about 5 minutes before I got home.
Anyway, it sounds like he may be fussing in his crib, so I had better check on him, then pass out. Until tomorrow.
According to Leigh, the Spud has been a lot grumpier in the afternoons. He's still not napping much or well and he requires a lot of attention, which keeps Leigh from getting much work done. As much as we hate having to do it, I know Leigh is looking forward to having a regular babysitter.
Other than that, there isn't a whole lot going on. Got in some good playing on the floor time with Connor this evening. He was in a pretty good mood once I got home, although that had apparently only started about 5 minutes before I got home.
Anyway, it sounds like he may be fussing in his crib, so I had better check on him, then pass out. Until tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Reflecting on the first five months
At 3:45 PM on 2/23, Connor will officially be five months old. Looking at him now, I can still see the (relatively) tiny newborn who peed on the first nurse to try to take him to get cleaned up. But he's already come such a long way from there that it's tough to believe it's the same baby.
Connor was 8 lbs 13 oz at birth. He lost 5 oz in the hospital, but was back at his birth weight in barely more than two weeks. Now he's closing in on 18 lbs.
At birth, Connor was 21 inches long. He's over 25 and a half now and seems to grow a little more every day.
When fresh from the womb, Connor was barely aware of his surroundings. He reacted to stimuli, but didn't make connections between cause and effect. Now when he comes into a room, he's alert and looking around, trying to absorb everything about his surroundings. I'm pretty sure he even recognizes his reflection as being somehow related to him, though it's difficult to tell when it comes to abstract notions like that.
The Spud has also made vast strides in physical development. He was trying to raise his head up from the day he was born, but now it's steady. He can sit up for a minute or so at a time without help and has been figuring out how to prop himself up with his hands. He's not crawling, but he's already learned to love standing up and can support his own weight for about ten minutes at a time, only needing help with balance. He can even roll over a bit: mostly from belly to back, but he went back to belly in the bath tub tonight, much to Leigh's and my delight.
His first two teeth will be showing up any day now, I'm sure.
The biggest change, though, is personality. It's still pretty amorphous, but there's a definite person developing inside of my son. He's curious and social and I think he's even starting to develop a bit of an independent streak. He just seems very happy when he's not in pain from gas or teething, or cranky from lack of sleep. And I can't wait to see how he continues to grow over time.
Connor was 8 lbs 13 oz at birth. He lost 5 oz in the hospital, but was back at his birth weight in barely more than two weeks. Now he's closing in on 18 lbs.
At birth, Connor was 21 inches long. He's over 25 and a half now and seems to grow a little more every day.
When fresh from the womb, Connor was barely aware of his surroundings. He reacted to stimuli, but didn't make connections between cause and effect. Now when he comes into a room, he's alert and looking around, trying to absorb everything about his surroundings. I'm pretty sure he even recognizes his reflection as being somehow related to him, though it's difficult to tell when it comes to abstract notions like that.
The Spud has also made vast strides in physical development. He was trying to raise his head up from the day he was born, but now it's steady. He can sit up for a minute or so at a time without help and has been figuring out how to prop himself up with his hands. He's not crawling, but he's already learned to love standing up and can support his own weight for about ten minutes at a time, only needing help with balance. He can even roll over a bit: mostly from belly to back, but he went back to belly in the bath tub tonight, much to Leigh's and my delight.
His first two teeth will be showing up any day now, I'm sure.
The biggest change, though, is personality. It's still pretty amorphous, but there's a definite person developing inside of my son. He's curious and social and I think he's even starting to develop a bit of an independent streak. He just seems very happy when he's not in pain from gas or teething, or cranky from lack of sleep. And I can't wait to see how he continues to grow over time.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, fussy Sunday
Today was another fussy one for the Spud. For the most part he was in a good mood, but between the teeth getting ready to pop out and an extraordinary amount of gas, Connor quickly switched from smiles to howls.
Leigh had some things to do this afternoon, so I ended up watching Connor for a few hours. He managed to nap for about half an hour before she left and for a couple of minutes between bottles that I fed him. But when he woke up, he got all pissed off again.
I managed to find a way to keep him happy for almost an hour so that I could get some work done on a paper for one of my classes. Considering his fascination with the bright, swirling colors of the WMP visualizer and the value of storytime, I loaded an audio-book in mp3 format onto my PS3 and put Connor into a bouncy seat in front of it. Other than looking back at me and smiling a couple of times, it held his attention almost the entire time.
Once Leigh got back, Connor fed again and promptly passed out. We had been planning on bathing him tonight, but felt bad about waking him up. We gave him almost 2 hours, but other than opening his eyes once or twice, he stayed out. So we moved him to the crib and he's been snoozing since. We'll have to handle the bath tomorrow.
The teeth are definitely close to coming out. I can finally see them on the top of the gum line. I hope he settles down a bit after they come out. And that he doesn't do what I did and start biting.
Anyway, time for this daddy to tuck himself in. Bonus post is a bit delayed, but darn it, it will happen!
Leigh had some things to do this afternoon, so I ended up watching Connor for a few hours. He managed to nap for about half an hour before she left and for a couple of minutes between bottles that I fed him. But when he woke up, he got all pissed off again.
I managed to find a way to keep him happy for almost an hour so that I could get some work done on a paper for one of my classes. Considering his fascination with the bright, swirling colors of the WMP visualizer and the value of storytime, I loaded an audio-book in mp3 format onto my PS3 and put Connor into a bouncy seat in front of it. Other than looking back at me and smiling a couple of times, it held his attention almost the entire time.
Once Leigh got back, Connor fed again and promptly passed out. We had been planning on bathing him tonight, but felt bad about waking him up. We gave him almost 2 hours, but other than opening his eyes once or twice, he stayed out. So we moved him to the crib and he's been snoozing since. We'll have to handle the bath tomorrow.
The teeth are definitely close to coming out. I can finally see them on the top of the gum line. I hope he settles down a bit after they come out. And that he doesn't do what I did and start biting.
Anyway, time for this daddy to tuck himself in. Bonus post is a bit delayed, but darn it, it will happen!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Meeting the sitter
Today was the day that Leigh, Connor and I went to meet the woman who we had been talking about leaving Connor with during the day. She's been the sitter for a local contractor Leigh's done work with as well as a mutual customer and came highly recommended.
We got there at around 11 AM and were greeted by her husband, who was taking advantage of the nice day to wash his car. Connor had been pretty talkative throughout the trip and was up and curious when we went inside to meet Zelda, the sitter, and her daughter. We let them hold Connor to get to know him and he promptly began getting fussy, which concerned me. Fortunately, he burped a couple of minutes later and was his usual, cheerful self afterwords.
Zelda and her daughter took to Connor immediately and, after discussing the details, it looks like starting in the middle of next month, Connor will have some daytime supervision! Leigh and I hate having to leave him with someone, but it looks like it will at least be a good, nurturing environment.
Connor spent the rest of the day not napping. He got maybe half an hour combined, but that was all. I really hope he's able to nap more easily when his teeth pop out.
Enough for tonight. Still need to get the bonus post done this weekend.
We got there at around 11 AM and were greeted by her husband, who was taking advantage of the nice day to wash his car. Connor had been pretty talkative throughout the trip and was up and curious when we went inside to meet Zelda, the sitter, and her daughter. We let them hold Connor to get to know him and he promptly began getting fussy, which concerned me. Fortunately, he burped a couple of minutes later and was his usual, cheerful self afterwords.
Zelda and her daughter took to Connor immediately and, after discussing the details, it looks like starting in the middle of next month, Connor will have some daytime supervision! Leigh and I hate having to leave him with someone, but it looks like it will at least be a good, nurturing environment.
Connor spent the rest of the day not napping. He got maybe half an hour combined, but that was all. I really hope he's able to nap more easily when his teeth pop out.
Enough for tonight. Still need to get the bonus post done this weekend.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Missing my boy
Well, this was the last day (for the time being) that I had to work late. While there were definitely some cool parts to it (like getting to help out Eric Mabius with an e-mail issue), I'd have given all of that up for a few more hours of wakeful time with Connor.
I think Leigh would have appreciated it to. The Spud has been continuing to refuse to nap, giving her no time to get things taken care of and wearing on her nerves. But the end of that may be in sight!
First of all, Connor's first teeth look like they're just about ready to come out, which should offer him some relief. And to give Leigh an even bigger break, we're going to be meeting up with a possible babysitter tomorrow. She looked after the daughter of someone we know, but with the daughter getting ready for pre-school, the sitter is going to be available.
We're really hoping that she'll work out, since Leigh and I would both prefer to avoid the bigger daycare centers while there's still a risk of H1N1 floating out there. Plus the more personal touch can be a good thing. But we'll see how Connor reacts to her and go from there.
Anyway, more tomorrow including a bonus post!
I think Leigh would have appreciated it to. The Spud has been continuing to refuse to nap, giving her no time to get things taken care of and wearing on her nerves. But the end of that may be in sight!
First of all, Connor's first teeth look like they're just about ready to come out, which should offer him some relief. And to give Leigh an even bigger break, we're going to be meeting up with a possible babysitter tomorrow. She looked after the daughter of someone we know, but with the daughter getting ready for pre-school, the sitter is going to be available.
We're really hoping that she'll work out, since Leigh and I would both prefer to avoid the bigger daycare centers while there's still a risk of H1N1 floating out there. Plus the more personal touch can be a good thing. But we'll see how Connor reacts to her and go from there.
Anyway, more tomorrow including a bonus post!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Pending erruption
Once again, my overtime kept me from spending much time with Connor today. But I had a few hours of solo time yesterday to make up for it. Well, it didn't entirely make up for it, but I guess I have to be happy for what I have. But anyway...
During one of my daily checkups on Leigh and Connor, I got some interesting news. The Spud hasn't been wanting to take naps recently, which has lead to Leigh having to grab a moment to get things accomplished when she can. Today, while Connor was in his jumper, she ran to get a bite to eat, returning when she heard a cry. She saw Floppy on the floor and when she picked him up, she saw a couple of spots of blood.
Inspecting Connor, she found the source of the blood was the front lower gum. No tooth yet, but that certainly seems to be a strong indicator that it can't be too far away now.
Oh, and Floppy was cleaned up nicely and is blood free again.
Nothing else Connor related today. Sleep time now. And remember, special bonus post this weekend!
During one of my daily checkups on Leigh and Connor, I got some interesting news. The Spud hasn't been wanting to take naps recently, which has lead to Leigh having to grab a moment to get things accomplished when she can. Today, while Connor was in his jumper, she ran to get a bite to eat, returning when she heard a cry. She saw Floppy on the floor and when she picked him up, she saw a couple of spots of blood.
Inspecting Connor, she found the source of the blood was the front lower gum. No tooth yet, but that certainly seems to be a strong indicator that it can't be too far away now.
Oh, and Floppy was cleaned up nicely and is blood free again.
Nothing else Connor related today. Sleep time now. And remember, special bonus post this weekend!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Lame post tonight
I had a great time hanging out with Connor this afternoon while Leigh got her massage, but I'm completely bushed and don't have it in me to put together a real post. I'll make it up with a significant post and a bonus post this weekend, but for right now, I think I need to just turn in.
Chipmunk Cheeks Rides Again!
When I was very young, my parents thought I was going to be another Dizzy Gillespie. To put it plainly, I had massive cheek capacity. And while my cheeks, over the years, have gone to a more normal level of elasticity, I always wondered if it was something genetic or just because I was constantly eating as a baby.
Well, I still don't have an answer because Connor is pretty constantly eating. But whatever the reason, this picture definitely proves he's daddy's little Spud.
In other news, Connor's afternoon insomnia continues. He just doesn't seem to want to sleep during the day, but he gets very cranky if he doesn't. Fortunately, he's still mostly sleeping through the night, so I have to be thankful for that.
Anyway, sleep time for me. Half day tomorrow so I can watch after Connor while Leigh (finally) gets her birthday massage.
Well, I still don't have an answer because Connor is pretty constantly eating. But whatever the reason, this picture definitely proves he's daddy's little Spud.
Anyway, sleep time for me. Half day tomorrow so I can watch after Connor while Leigh (finally) gets her birthday massage.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Slow News Day Flashback: Connor's early stubborn streak
Well, nothing new or interesting happened today on the Connor front, so I thought I would take the opportunity to talk a little about our early indications of how stubborn the Spud was destined to be.
When Leigh and I went to the doctor's for an ultrasound to determine our child's sex (at the time, we were referring to it as D-Lush, but that's another story for another time...), our hopes were up. We had been holding off on a lot of yard sale purchasing in anticipation of discovering if we were going to have a little boy or little girl. The Spud had other plans, though. He kept his legs clamped together the whole time and no prodding would get him to shift.
When we went for a follow up ultrasound later, he tried to foil us again. For the first few attempts, Connor kept putting his foot in the way of the wand. But eventually the technician was able to get around it and I have to say that it was the first time I have ever been happy to see a penis that wasn't mine.
The other major stubbornness indicator would be closer to delivery time. For a while, Connor was sitting transverse. That is, stretched out horizontally rather than vertically. When he finally decided to go vertical, he went breach. After discussing it with the doctor, Leigh and I talked it over and she decided to try an inversion.
For those who don't know, an inversion involves the doctor externally manipulating the baby's position. I won't go into details. Suffice to say that based on what Leigh's told me and my own observations, it's not the most pleasant thing in the world. However, Leigh got through it and Connor was oriented correctly. The operative word being "was."
It wasn't long before Connor flipped himself around again and was once again in breach. So we resigned ourselves to a C-section. Everything was scheduled, my parents were coming down to be there for the "blessed event," and it all seemed ready to go. Of course, there were a few things that went wrong at the hospital, delaying our appointment, but finally we had a room and we were ready to go. In the final check up before getting ready to go though...Connor was discovered to have gone head down again.
Given the chance for a natural birth, we decided to take the opportunity. That meant coming back the next day and getting induced. And finally, two days after he was 'scheduled' to arrive, Connor emerged from the womb.
That's all for tonight. More tomorrow. Hopefully fresh news, but if necessary, more flashbacks.
When Leigh and I went to the doctor's for an ultrasound to determine our child's sex (at the time, we were referring to it as D-Lush, but that's another story for another time...), our hopes were up. We had been holding off on a lot of yard sale purchasing in anticipation of discovering if we were going to have a little boy or little girl. The Spud had other plans, though. He kept his legs clamped together the whole time and no prodding would get him to shift.
When we went for a follow up ultrasound later, he tried to foil us again. For the first few attempts, Connor kept putting his foot in the way of the wand. But eventually the technician was able to get around it and I have to say that it was the first time I have ever been happy to see a penis that wasn't mine.
The other major stubbornness indicator would be closer to delivery time. For a while, Connor was sitting transverse. That is, stretched out horizontally rather than vertically. When he finally decided to go vertical, he went breach. After discussing it with the doctor, Leigh and I talked it over and she decided to try an inversion.
For those who don't know, an inversion involves the doctor externally manipulating the baby's position. I won't go into details. Suffice to say that based on what Leigh's told me and my own observations, it's not the most pleasant thing in the world. However, Leigh got through it and Connor was oriented correctly. The operative word being "was."
It wasn't long before Connor flipped himself around again and was once again in breach. So we resigned ourselves to a C-section. Everything was scheduled, my parents were coming down to be there for the "blessed event," and it all seemed ready to go. Of course, there were a few things that went wrong at the hospital, delaying our appointment, but finally we had a room and we were ready to go. In the final check up before getting ready to go though...Connor was discovered to have gone head down again.
Given the chance for a natural birth, we decided to take the opportunity. That meant coming back the next day and getting induced. And finally, two days after he was 'scheduled' to arrive, Connor emerged from the womb.
That's all for tonight. More tomorrow. Hopefully fresh news, but if necessary, more flashbacks.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Mr. Cranky Pants
Connor was definitely up and down today.
I had a lot of school work and some cooking to do today, so Leigh was watching him for most of the day. I think the high point was when we took a break and called my mother while Connor was playing on the floor in his room. He babbled at her for a while and she seemed very pleased. We also weighed him while we were on the phone. He's up to 17.8 pounds now.
He ate a full serving of rice cereal, too. His method is a little odd: he grabs the spoon and stuffs it in his mouth, then when I pull it out, he uses his fingers to slide the food into his mouth. But it mostly stays in his mouth and goes down into his belly, so who am I to complain?
This evening, he had a mood switch. He was fine while being carried around or while being helped to stand, but goodness forbid he lay down or sit down for even a few seconds. Leigh had asked me to watch him for a bit and by the end, my lower back was killing me.
He seems to go through these clingy periods every so often. I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but it could be a whole lot worse, so I won't gripe too much.
Anyway, it's late, so I should vamoose.
I had a lot of school work and some cooking to do today, so Leigh was watching him for most of the day. I think the high point was when we took a break and called my mother while Connor was playing on the floor in his room. He babbled at her for a while and she seemed very pleased. We also weighed him while we were on the phone. He's up to 17.8 pounds now.
He ate a full serving of rice cereal, too. His method is a little odd: he grabs the spoon and stuffs it in his mouth, then when I pull it out, he uses his fingers to slide the food into his mouth. But it mostly stays in his mouth and goes down into his belly, so who am I to complain?
This evening, he had a mood switch. He was fine while being carried around or while being helped to stand, but goodness forbid he lay down or sit down for even a few seconds. Leigh had asked me to watch him for a bit and by the end, my lower back was killing me.
He seems to go through these clingy periods every so often. I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but it could be a whole lot worse, so I won't gripe too much.
Anyway, it's late, so I should vamoose.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
But I don't want to take a nap...
I can only assume that Connor had the above thought in his head today because he just plain did not want to go to sleep this afternoon. He was cheerful enough, only getting fussy when he somehow managed to poop up the front of his diaper. But he would pitch a fit whenever he was put down in his crib.
I got him to take a couple of 15-20 minute naps, but nothing significant. Needless to say, he was exhausted this evening. He fell asleep on Leigh on his second to last feeding, catching another 30 or so minutes before he woke up in time for his bath.
He went right to bed after his final feeding. He woke up while being carried to his crib, but went almost instantly back to sleep once Floppy was tucked in with him. He hasn't made a peep since then.
Yes, it's a very dry update, but I didn't have a whole lot today. More tomorrow, as Connor gets to experience his first Valentine's Day.
I got him to take a couple of 15-20 minute naps, but nothing significant. Needless to say, he was exhausted this evening. He fell asleep on Leigh on his second to last feeding, catching another 30 or so minutes before he woke up in time for his bath.
He went right to bed after his final feeding. He woke up while being carried to his crib, but went almost instantly back to sleep once Floppy was tucked in with him. He hasn't made a peep since then.
Yes, it's a very dry update, but I didn't have a whole lot today. More tomorrow, as Connor gets to experience his first Valentine's Day.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
I hate overtime
I love the fact that I get paid fairly well for what, in the greater scheme of things, is a very simple job. But that doesn't stop me from getting annoyed from time to time. Mostly at the extra hours that I sometimes have to work. Mind you, I get overtime pay for the extra hours and the contract I'm under limits the total number I can be forced to work. But when it keeps me from getting to spend time with Connor, no amount of money can make up for it.
Next week, there are three nights that I'm going to be working until 8 PM which means I won't get home until about 9:30 PM, about the time that the Spud normally goes to bed. This means I'll get all but no time with him on those days. Quel dommage.
But on to happier topics.
Last night, while Leigh and I bathed Connor, I gave Floppy a wipe down. He's been getting a little drool-saturated of late and we thought a quick cleaning might help him. Sure enough, while not soft as new, he's at least lost a good bit of dinginess. Floppette substituted for Floppy in the crib last night to give him a chance to dry out, but now he's back in action.
It seems that every night, I look down at Connor and wonder how this could have happened. I'm amazed and delighted every time I realize that I'm a dad. On one hand I can't believe that it's only been four and a half months, but on the other hand I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by. He's almost doubled his birth weight already and is over four and a half inches longer than he was at birth. He's aware of his surroundings. He's developing a personality.
Almost every parent I've talked to has remarked on this phenomenon, but I don't think it can be understood without going through it in some way. I suppose those who have had much younger siblings that they have helped raise get some idea of what it's like, but I was an only child, so this was the first real opportunity I've had to observe it first hand. It just blows my mind.
Anyway, I get Connor and daddy time tomorrow morning while Leigh's out, so I should get some sleep. More tomorrow.
Next week, there are three nights that I'm going to be working until 8 PM which means I won't get home until about 9:30 PM, about the time that the Spud normally goes to bed. This means I'll get all but no time with him on those days. Quel dommage.
But on to happier topics.
Last night, while Leigh and I bathed Connor, I gave Floppy a wipe down. He's been getting a little drool-saturated of late and we thought a quick cleaning might help him. Sure enough, while not soft as new, he's at least lost a good bit of dinginess. Floppette substituted for Floppy in the crib last night to give him a chance to dry out, but now he's back in action.
It seems that every night, I look down at Connor and wonder how this could have happened. I'm amazed and delighted every time I realize that I'm a dad. On one hand I can't believe that it's only been four and a half months, but on the other hand I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by. He's almost doubled his birth weight already and is over four and a half inches longer than he was at birth. He's aware of his surroundings. He's developing a personality.
Almost every parent I've talked to has remarked on this phenomenon, but I don't think it can be understood without going through it in some way. I suppose those who have had much younger siblings that they have helped raise get some idea of what it's like, but I was an only child, so this was the first real opportunity I've had to observe it first hand. It just blows my mind.
Anyway, I get Connor and daddy time tomorrow morning while Leigh's out, so I should get some sleep. More tomorrow.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy.
When Leigh and I were in Vancouver, we visited an old friend of mine who had recently had a little girl. She showed us this wonderful baby item: a jumper that attached to a door frame. It provided exercise, seemed to thoroughly entertain her, and got out all of that pent up baby energy. Needless to say, Leigh looked around and found one at a yard sale along with a similar model for her brother's little girl.
While he showed no interest the first time we put him in the jumper, Leigh had him in the one that's kept at her family's cabinet shop for an hour and a half today and he seemed to be in heaven. He got to look all around, bounce up and down, and generally have an all around fun time.
Connor's definitely showing more and more interest in staying upright. If he's upset, standing him up will usually get a smile back onto his face. The bouncer is another way to help him establish his balance, build up his leg muscles, and have fun.
Anyway, I'm pooped, so I'm going to bed. Just needed to make sure I posted first.
While he showed no interest the first time we put him in the jumper, Leigh had him in the one that's kept at her family's cabinet shop for an hour and a half today and he seemed to be in heaven. He got to look all around, bounce up and down, and generally have an all around fun time.
Connor's definitely showing more and more interest in staying upright. If he's upset, standing him up will usually get a smile back onto his face. The bouncer is another way to help him establish his balance, build up his leg muscles, and have fun.
Anyway, I'm pooped, so I'm going to bed. Just needed to make sure I posted first.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Into the fourth week
The hardest part of writing for me has always been continuing. I'm a fantastic starter and a pretty solid finisher, but that stretch in the middle can be a real female dog. So I'm very glad that I've been able to keep this going for over three weeks now, especially considering my main subject is so important to me.
The thing I've noticed most over the past week is the quantity and diversity in Connor's vocalizations.
First of all, he's "speaking" almost all the time. I've been cautioning him against speaking with his mouth full, because he tries even when he's nursing. From what Leigh's told me and what I've heard when I call her during the day, it doesn't stop unless he's sleeping. It's even interactive in the form of a conversation, though understanding is clearly limited on both sides.
Second is how many new sounds Connor's been making. The most recent additions to his repertoire is a sort of high pitched squeaking noise that he seems quite proud of.
Overall, the Spud continues to be very happy and is growing like a weed. But I have to be up early, so my butt needs to get to bed, as his already is. Goodnight and thanks for reading.
The thing I've noticed most over the past week is the quantity and diversity in Connor's vocalizations.
First of all, he's "speaking" almost all the time. I've been cautioning him against speaking with his mouth full, because he tries even when he's nursing. From what Leigh's told me and what I've heard when I call her during the day, it doesn't stop unless he's sleeping. It's even interactive in the form of a conversation, though understanding is clearly limited on both sides.
Second is how many new sounds Connor's been making. The most recent additions to his repertoire is a sort of high pitched squeaking noise that he seems quite proud of.
Overall, the Spud continues to be very happy and is growing like a weed. But I have to be up early, so my butt needs to get to bed, as his already is. Goodnight and thanks for reading.
Floppy's triumphant return!
Just a short post tonight. I stayed up later than I had intended and I have to be up early for overtime.
This morning I received a picture message from Leigh. It was of a well drooled-on sheep. That's right: Floppy's back.
As expected, Floppy spent the night in the travel crib and was none the worse for the wear. But his absence did prove something. It seems that despite his extreme youth, Connor did notice the difference. Leigh reports that in the morning, Connor tossed Floppette out of the car seat, something he has never done with Floppy. And when he was reunited with his best friend, Connor didn't put him down all day.
So while Floppette (and presumably the other replacement Floppies) are an adequate substitute, it's a lot like Coca-Cola: you just can't beat the real thing.
This morning I received a picture message from Leigh. It was of a well drooled-on sheep. That's right: Floppy's back.
As expected, Floppy spent the night in the travel crib and was none the worse for the wear. But his absence did prove something. It seems that despite his extreme youth, Connor did notice the difference. Leigh reports that in the morning, Connor tossed Floppette out of the car seat, something he has never done with Floppy. And when he was reunited with his best friend, Connor didn't put him down all day.
So while Floppette (and presumably the other replacement Floppies) are an adequate substitute, it's a lot like Coca-Cola: you just can't beat the real thing.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Comings and Goings
Two news items today.
First of all, one of the pictures that Leigh took last night was a big hit. I've been calling it the "Heisman Picture":
The other piece of news, while not a disaster, is not as happy.
Connor's grandpa Gordon was looking after him this afternoon while Leigh was taking care of some business in Virginia. When packing him up for home, he was sidetracked by someone coming over and accidentally left Floppy the Sheep at the shop.
Fortunately, there are three "Backup Floppies" available for just such emergencies. And one, nicknamed Floppette, has already gotten some breaking in time (IE, she's been drooled on). Connor seems satisfied with her for tonight. But she's not the original.
I find that I'm a little worried about Floppy. It's stupid and I know it, but...damn it, he's the Spud's first best friend and he's developed some personality in my mind. I know he's fine, but I'll admit, I was tempted to drive out to Hertford (30-ish minutes from the house) to grab him.
Anyway, that's enough of my crazy for the day. It's not enough of Connor's cuteness, but that needs to be handed out sparingly. No sense in getting people jaded.
First of all, one of the pictures that Leigh took last night was a big hit. I've been calling it the "Heisman Picture":
I'm thinking of sending it to the Eagles in the hopes that maybe it'll help inspire them to greater heights next season. With the Saints having claimed victory, the list of teams without a Super Bowl victory is getting way too small for the Eagles to remain in it. And Connor does look awfully adorable in his Eagles onesie.
Connor's grandpa Gordon was looking after him this afternoon while Leigh was taking care of some business in Virginia. When packing him up for home, he was sidetracked by someone coming over and accidentally left Floppy the Sheep at the shop.
Fortunately, there are three "Backup Floppies" available for just such emergencies. And one, nicknamed Floppette, has already gotten some breaking in time (IE, she's been drooled on). Connor seems satisfied with her for tonight. But she's not the original.
I find that I'm a little worried about Floppy. It's stupid and I know it, but...damn it, he's the Spud's first best friend and he's developed some personality in my mind. I know he's fine, but I'll admit, I was tempted to drive out to Hertford (30-ish minutes from the house) to grab him.
Anyway, that's enough of my crazy for the day. It's not enough of Connor's cuteness, but that needs to be handed out sparingly. No sense in getting people jaded.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Connor-Bowl I
Today was Connor's first Super Bowl and, despite not really caring about either team, he seemed to enjoy it.
He was very active again today, almost constantly in motion except when taking a long-ish nap. He also got all the way through a mini-bowl of rice cereal, though it mostly went in his mouth, out onto his fingers, then back into his mouth to be swallowed.
Anyway, just a short update tonight. I had a few conference posts to write for one of my classes and I'm bushed.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Upcoming growth spurt?
What was originally expected to be a psycho-busy weekend has turned into a laid back one thanks to the weather. One of Leigh's best friends and her husband were supposed to be visiting as were my father and step-mother. Needless to say, they all decided that discretion was the better part of valor when the monster storm was in the picture.
The fact that we had some time alone with Connor was nice. Additionally, it was serendipitous; the Spud has required a great deal of time and attention today.
It all started out pretty quietly.
Leigh fed Connor this morning, then put him back down for a nap while she took care of her Saturday morning stuff. She got back at around 10 AM, at which point both Connor and I woke up.
Other than a fairly long nap in the afternoon, Connor was up and active for the whole time after that second wake up. He ate for about half of the time and was moving around and chewing on everything in reach the rest of it. His final feeding was almost two hours long with only a short break to attempt to get him to sleep which, quite frankly, was a giant, flaming disaster.
Between the massive feedings and relatively long snoozes (one of which he embarked upon after I rocked him in his bouncy chair for about half an hour), it would appear that he has another growth spurt on the horizon. He's already over 25 inches long. I shudder to think of what size clothing he'll be in this time next week.
The fact that we had some time alone with Connor was nice. Additionally, it was serendipitous; the Spud has required a great deal of time and attention today.
It all started out pretty quietly.
Leigh fed Connor this morning, then put him back down for a nap while she took care of her Saturday morning stuff. She got back at around 10 AM, at which point both Connor and I woke up.
Other than a fairly long nap in the afternoon, Connor was up and active for the whole time after that second wake up. He ate for about half of the time and was moving around and chewing on everything in reach the rest of it. His final feeding was almost two hours long with only a short break to attempt to get him to sleep which, quite frankly, was a giant, flaming disaster.
Between the massive feedings and relatively long snoozes (one of which he embarked upon after I rocked him in his bouncy chair for about half an hour), it would appear that he has another growth spurt on the horizon. He's already over 25 inches long. I shudder to think of what size clothing he'll be in this time next week.
You can call Connor a raver, cause he's rollin'!
As usual, getting home after work was the highlight of my day. Not only did it mean that I wasn't at work or commuting, but it means I get to see Leigh and Connor. And today, Connor had a surprise for me.
No, not a diaper full of poop.
While waiting for a tray full of potato wedges to get out of the oven, Leigh and I were watching Connor play on his floor mat. He grabbed on to Leigh's hand and she pulled him up a little. He immediately swung his leg over and got into his 7/8th rolled over position. But then, after a little grunting and moving around, he got his arm out from under him and managed to get himself completely over. He looked around for a bit, then rolled himself onto his back again.
He got back onto his belly a little later, although he had trouble getting onto his back a second time. He began getting frustrated, so we helped him back over, which satisfied him.
The past few days, he's also been vocalizing quite a lot. There's a definite pattern of talking present. While the words aren't there, it's not just random noises.
It's been a big week for Connor and he seems very pleased with himself. Despite the teething pain, he's remained in very high spirits. During tonight's bath, he was all wiggles and excitement, managing to splash about 1/4 of his bath water onto the floor.
Anyway, it's getting to be time for me to pass out. I have a few plans for the next "nothing interesting happened" day, so I'm going to jot those down now before turning in. Until later.
No, not a diaper full of poop.
While waiting for a tray full of potato wedges to get out of the oven, Leigh and I were watching Connor play on his floor mat. He grabbed on to Leigh's hand and she pulled him up a little. He immediately swung his leg over and got into his 7/8th rolled over position. But then, after a little grunting and moving around, he got his arm out from under him and managed to get himself completely over. He looked around for a bit, then rolled himself onto his back again.
He got back onto his belly a little later, although he had trouble getting onto his back a second time. He began getting frustrated, so we helped him back over, which satisfied him.
The past few days, he's also been vocalizing quite a lot. There's a definite pattern of talking present. While the words aren't there, it's not just random noises.
It's been a big week for Connor and he seems very pleased with himself. Despite the teething pain, he's remained in very high spirits. During tonight's bath, he was all wiggles and excitement, managing to splash about 1/4 of his bath water onto the floor.
Anyway, it's getting to be time for me to pass out. I have a few plans for the next "nothing interesting happened" day, so I'm going to jot those down now before turning in. Until later.
Friday, February 5, 2010
All's quiet on the Connor front
It's been another fairly quiet day. Leigh told me that Connor was very fussy throughout the day and he was certainly a ball of energy when I got home. He's chewing on everything in sight, so it's pretty clear that he's feeling those first couple of teeth wanting to come out. But other than that, it's been pretty unexciting.
I turned one of Connor's pictures into an emoticon for my intra-office instant messenger program. It's gotten a good reaction from people, but I mostly did it as a way to give myself a little boost. If it makes someone else smile too, all the better.
As you may be able to tell, I'm short of anything significant to write tonight. But I promised myself that I would post something every day and, even if it's meaningless dribble, I'm going to try hard to keep that promise.
Hopefully I will have something interesting for tomorrow. Until then...
I turned one of Connor's pictures into an emoticon for my intra-office instant messenger program. It's gotten a good reaction from people, but I mostly did it as a way to give myself a little boost. If it makes someone else smile too, all the better.
As you may be able to tell, I'm short of anything significant to write tonight. But I promised myself that I would post something every day and, even if it's meaningless dribble, I'm going to try hard to keep that promise.
Hopefully I will have something interesting for tomorrow. Until then...
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Connor on demand
Nothing super new on the Spud front today. He slept through the night and when I walked in this morning to give him a good morning kiss, his eyes opened up and he gave me a beautiful smile. That carried me through most of the day, but to get me over the hump, Leigh sent me a couple of pictures.
As I mentioned, I'm doing at least one picture a day of Connor to turn into a 365 day album for his first year. So the picture taking and sending isn't anything new. But over the past month or so, Leigh's made a real effort to get me new 'action shots' of the little guy to help get me through the tough part of the day.
I'm not the only one with a photo jones, though. While a number of people at work have gotten used to the near-daily photo storm I carry along with me, my mother has gotten downright pushy about it at times. But I have to admit that Connor is awfully cute, so I suppose I can understand.
He's snoozing now and, as I said, it was a pretty uneventful day. So I leave you tonight with one of the shots that provided a pick-me-up to me this afternoon:
As I mentioned, I'm doing at least one picture a day of Connor to turn into a 365 day album for his first year. So the picture taking and sending isn't anything new. But over the past month or so, Leigh's made a real effort to get me new 'action shots' of the little guy to help get me through the tough part of the day.
I'm not the only one with a photo jones, though. While a number of people at work have gotten used to the near-daily photo storm I carry along with me, my mother has gotten downright pushy about it at times. But I have to admit that Connor is awfully cute, so I suppose I can understand.
He's snoozing now and, as I said, it was a pretty uneventful day. So I leave you tonight with one of the shots that provided a pick-me-up to me this afternoon:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Bad start/Good Finish
To say that this morning started out badly would be to indulge in gross understatements of the same magnitude as saying that there's some small dislike between fans of the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins.
I was heading to bed shortly before 1 AM. Connor started fussing as he had the morning before. As far as I can tell, it was a mix of teething pain and gas. We medicated him and I attempted to get him back to sleep by reading him a story, but he wouldn't calm down. That was when I noticed that his hands were awfully cold.
Leigh had mentioned earlier that she thought the house was kind of chilly, so I checked the thermostat. Though it was set for 66, it was only registering 61. A check of the vents found that there was air coming through, but it wasn't warm.
While Leigh and I were prepared to suffer through a cold night on our own, we couldn't do that to Connor. Leigh went down to her father's place to pick up a propane heater to keep things from getting too cold until we could get someone out in the morning. While getting the car warmed up, she checked the gas tank for our heating and discovered that it was empty. In barely over a month.
On her way back with the heater, Leigh slipped on some ice and bruised herself, but managed to avoid serious injury. Connor still wouldn't calm down, so she fed him for a while until he passed out.
By this time, it was after 3 and I was exhausted. I decided to call out for the day to give Leigh a break and wait for the gas company to show up. They filled everything up and found no leaks, though we're still a little confused as how, after improving our home's energy efficiency, we ended up using more fuel than we ever had before. But that's another story.
At any rate, I got to spend the whole day with Connor and it was generally a lot of fun. He was rather vocal about not wanting any dang rice cereal, preferring to stick to milk. But he ate well and napped several times and was mostly very well tempered. He was just starting to get fussy when Leigh got home and, with mommy there, the Spud's mood was immediately elevated.
Now he's finishing up his evening meal and will be getting some teething tablets, then getting tucked in. I'll be following shortly thereafter. I'm almost looking forward to getting back to work, since it implies I'll be getting some vague amount of normality back.
Until tomorrow.
I was heading to bed shortly before 1 AM. Connor started fussing as he had the morning before. As far as I can tell, it was a mix of teething pain and gas. We medicated him and I attempted to get him back to sleep by reading him a story, but he wouldn't calm down. That was when I noticed that his hands were awfully cold.
Leigh had mentioned earlier that she thought the house was kind of chilly, so I checked the thermostat. Though it was set for 66, it was only registering 61. A check of the vents found that there was air coming through, but it wasn't warm.
While Leigh and I were prepared to suffer through a cold night on our own, we couldn't do that to Connor. Leigh went down to her father's place to pick up a propane heater to keep things from getting too cold until we could get someone out in the morning. While getting the car warmed up, she checked the gas tank for our heating and discovered that it was empty. In barely over a month.
On her way back with the heater, Leigh slipped on some ice and bruised herself, but managed to avoid serious injury. Connor still wouldn't calm down, so she fed him for a while until he passed out.
By this time, it was after 3 and I was exhausted. I decided to call out for the day to give Leigh a break and wait for the gas company to show up. They filled everything up and found no leaks, though we're still a little confused as how, after improving our home's energy efficiency, we ended up using more fuel than we ever had before. But that's another story.
At any rate, I got to spend the whole day with Connor and it was generally a lot of fun. He was rather vocal about not wanting any dang rice cereal, preferring to stick to milk. But he ate well and napped several times and was mostly very well tempered. He was just starting to get fussy when Leigh got home and, with mommy there, the Spud's mood was immediately elevated.
Now he's finishing up his evening meal and will be getting some teething tablets, then getting tucked in. I'll be following shortly thereafter. I'm almost looking forward to getting back to work, since it implies I'll be getting some vague amount of normality back.
Until tomorrow.
Finishing the day off right
As promised, post two for today.
This morning started pretty badly. Connor woke up a little before 2 AM, just as I was getting to bed. He hadn't had any Tylenol or teething tablets before bed, so when he wouldn't calm down after being changed, Leigh and I decided to give him something for the pain. We cuddled him for a little, but he started fussing again as soon as he was put down in the crib.
Leigh didn't want to get him into the habit of late night feedings, so I decided to read to him instead. Keeping him in the crib, I read "In the Night Kitchen" to him and, about halfway through, he quieted. By the time I finished, his eyes were drooping and he was soon asleep again, followed closely by his parents.
As I mentioned in my last post, I took the day off to avoid crappy road conditions. VA does not understand how to handle Winter weather. Southern VA understands it even worse than Northern VA, which is pretty frightening if you've ever lived in the DC Metro area and seen how NoVA handles snow. But I digress...
While Leigh shopped, I kept an eye on Connor. He napped on and off, but while he was up, he tended to fuss unless he was playing his favorite game, "Standing." Almost without fail, being supported so that he can stand up calms him down. His leg strength has grown a lot, too; he can stand for over 10 minutes without any problems.
This afternoon, everyone went down for a nap. Leigh and I expected to lay down for a few minutes, but the next thing we knew, over an hour had passed. Leigh was the first one up, followed by me a few minutes later and Connor a few minutes after that. It was almost as if we had planned it that way.
After his bath, Connor did not seem at all interested in his evening rice cereal, so we moved him right to the milk. He was a little crabby but didn't seem to be in real discomfort, so he just got a couple of teething tablets without the Tylenol. We'll see how that works out.
Now, I am off to bed. Have to leave early to give myself time for road conditions, even though schools are closed which should keep the streets a little more empty. Until tomorrow.
This morning started pretty badly. Connor woke up a little before 2 AM, just as I was getting to bed. He hadn't had any Tylenol or teething tablets before bed, so when he wouldn't calm down after being changed, Leigh and I decided to give him something for the pain. We cuddled him for a little, but he started fussing again as soon as he was put down in the crib.
Leigh didn't want to get him into the habit of late night feedings, so I decided to read to him instead. Keeping him in the crib, I read "In the Night Kitchen" to him and, about halfway through, he quieted. By the time I finished, his eyes were drooping and he was soon asleep again, followed closely by his parents.
As I mentioned in my last post, I took the day off to avoid crappy road conditions. VA does not understand how to handle Winter weather. Southern VA understands it even worse than Northern VA, which is pretty frightening if you've ever lived in the DC Metro area and seen how NoVA handles snow. But I digress...
While Leigh shopped, I kept an eye on Connor. He napped on and off, but while he was up, he tended to fuss unless he was playing his favorite game, "Standing." Almost without fail, being supported so that he can stand up calms him down. His leg strength has grown a lot, too; he can stand for over 10 minutes without any problems.
This afternoon, everyone went down for a nap. Leigh and I expected to lay down for a few minutes, but the next thing we knew, over an hour had passed. Leigh was the first one up, followed by me a few minutes later and Connor a few minutes after that. It was almost as if we had planned it that way.
After his bath, Connor did not seem at all interested in his evening rice cereal, so we moved him right to the milk. He was a little crabby but didn't seem to be in real discomfort, so he just got a couple of teething tablets without the Tylenol. We'll see how that works out.
Now, I am off to bed. Have to leave early to give myself time for road conditions, even though schools are closed which should keep the streets a little more empty. Until tomorrow.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Whoops.
Missed a day by accident, so today will have to be a double post spectacular to make up for it.
Yesterday was a big one for the Spud. Two major milestones have now been achieved.
First of all, Connor's first feeding was started with a little something different: rice cereal! For the first time, Connor had something other than breast milk in his belly. Albeit, it was mostly all over his bib, clothes, and face but some of it did make it into his mouth and he looked quite pleased about it. He also finished the day with a little rice cereal before his normal milk.
Connor's second milestone was going out into the snow. Here is the photographic evidence demanded by a certain aged relative.
Anyway, I stayed home today because the road conditions were crappy, so I'm looking after Connor while Leigh's grabbing some groceries. More on today's adventures when I post tonight.
Yesterday was a big one for the Spud. Two major milestones have now been achieved.
First of all, Connor's first feeding was started with a little something different: rice cereal! For the first time, Connor had something other than breast milk in his belly. Albeit, it was mostly all over his bib, clothes, and face but some of it did make it into his mouth and he looked quite pleased about it. He also finished the day with a little rice cereal before his normal milk.
Connor's second milestone was going out into the snow. Here is the photographic evidence demanded by a certain aged relative.
Anyway, I stayed home today because the road conditions were crappy, so I'm looking after Connor while Leigh's grabbing some groceries. More on today's adventures when I post tonight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
