What are you up to, Sam?

Seriously people, what happened? These last two weeks have been one change after another. Someone crept into my house in the middle of the night and traded the baby I knew, the one that was predictable...dare I even say, on a schedule and left in his place a newly mobile, curious, non-napping baby with more than one objection to the way things are currently done. All at once, we switched to a big boy car seat, a big boy bath, a big boy stroller and even big boy towels...goodbye sweet infant, hello something resembling a kid. Something that watches, learns and (gulp) eventually repeats and mimics. Time to be careful I guess. No more watching Ultimate Cage Fighting with daddy after mommy goes to work.

One other new item to our small house is something I call "baby jail" a.k.a. the Pack N Play (phase 2). Gone are the mornings that Sam can rock in his bouncy seat or lay on the floor playing with a toy as his mother dozes on the couch for a few more moments of precious sleep. Wasn't I shocked the morning I nodded out for a few moments and awoke to see my precious angel with his father's copy of Entourage in his mouth? No Sam, put the DVD down...I'm not even allowed to borrow daddy's stuff. Okay, one more lick, but if he asks...I'm totally blaming it on you. Come to think of it, if anyone asks, the reason I haven't dusted, de-cluttered, laundered, cooked, showered or even looked in the mirror today are all your fault too.

Okay so you know how the big thing these days is to make everyday products have more than one function? Like somehow if my Ped Egg will smooth my feet AND zest a lemon, I'm more inclined to buy it. That's fine...you had me at smoothing feet...I'm not in the market to then take it into the kitchen and zest any fruit. I'm fine with that particular item having only one purpose. This was especially funny when I was registering for baby gear. Somehow if it started off as an infant seat, then became a toddler seat, then became their first grade backpack and eventually their first car, I felt like the $39.99 was worth it. Well in the pic above...Sam has also caught the excitement of the multi-purpose item because, ladies and gentlemen...its a hat AND a puppet. You just never know when you are going to need to put on a show in a pinch...you might need a puppet. Sam is ready...are you?

In addition to all the "new" things happening, Sam has officially begun crawling. Why is it, by the way, that babies fixate on the one or two things in a room you don't want them to have? I could hire a petting zoo to come into my living room to entertain Sam and he would still go for the remote control...what is that about? Gosh they learn to want what they can't have fast don't they?
Also, we are trying to get Sam into a swimming pool, but the first experience was a bit traumatic for him. If you've got any tips on making that less dramatic, I would be grateful. He spent an hour and half crying on and off over 60 seconds in the swimming pool. He cried, would stop, look around, remember he was upset and start crying again (yes, he was working it a little bit with the tears). It was really unsettling to him. We will keep trying though because he loves his baths and baby pool so much that I know he would like floating in the pool. Well, we try again this week...wish me luck!
Have a multi purpose day!
Rachel

Are you Baby Proof?

All I have to say is that I was totally unprepared for this! I thought the order went, all fours, crawling, pull ups, standing and walking...We have a pull up people! I had to figure out how to lower my crib tonight and in a hurry! Something tells me that I'm not ready for this...

Baby Proofing...wow. That phrase hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday. I had heard it repeated over and over again since I'd given birth. Wise women who walked before me (and by that I mean my mother) kept saying..."You know when he gets mobile..." Mobile...HA...that sentence left my eardrums as soon as it hit. That won't happen...he won't get mobile any time soon! It was like someone starting a sentence with, "When you retire..." I know its out there, but it really doesn't affect me right now. Let's worry about other things. Well...Sam can pull up and is about two episodes of the Wiggles away from crawling, so color me affected!

Upon discovering Sam's pull up talent, I fumbled through my basket of books last night looking for the "What to Expect the First year, " book that I had promptly hidden away when I flatly refused to enforce tummy time. What do experts know? I finally stumbled upon it shoved in the bathroom linen closet next to a copy of "Childbirth, the Natural Way." - That's where I keep all books I resent. I grabbed it like it was a defibrilator and my only lifeline to understanding what was about to come next. Baby proofing, there has to be a paragraph on baby proofing in here somewhere. Paragraph! The words of a naive, first time mom. Try four pages of "things to be aware of". I read in disbelief, horror and fear...I was thinking that it might just be easier to pitch a tent in the backyard and live there. I can fight off mosquitoes and coyotes easier than I can latch everything closed, bolt everything else against the walls and staple gun pillows throughout the house...Oh dear, what is in store for us?

Wish me luck,

Rachel

It's Summertime!

Babies get away with everything! What's cute for a baby, ain't so cute for an adult. For instance, could you imagine sitting buck naked in an inch of water in your backyard in the middle of the day? If you can, keep it to yourself for you are the quintessential redneck joke. Jeff Foxworthy will be contacting you directly for new material.

Well, Sam had his first "pool" experience today and it was adorable. There is something, as a mom, that feels strangely comforting in being able to strip your baby down to nothing and throw him (not literally) in a tub of water. At first, I'm sure he was thinking, "Lady, I'm FREEZING in here." As indicated by the massive fit pitched upon first placement in the water...sorry I couldn't get you the hot tub, Sam. Well, I took him out and we tried again. This time, I started with toes and fingers and gradually got that bare bottom sitting in an inch of hose water...geez I hope I didn't break the watering ban by filling up his pool. Please don't turn me and Sam's grandmothers in...then who would remind him of how adorable he was every second? He was precious...and he had so much fun taking turns splashing in the water and chewing on the cup we gave him to play with. I wish I was so easily amused.


As we have passed the six month mark, little Sam is progressing in a number of ways. He has officially outgrown his infant seat and we have purchased a "big boy" carseat. Now, if someone could just tell me how to install the darn thing, I would be so grateful. Fourteen pages of directions for a piece of equipment with two pieces in the box. What is it about "some assembly required" these days? When I was pregnant, I had everything assembled two months before Sam made his appearance. I bought batteries for everything, put screws in, attached component "A" to component "B"...I even had batteries in the remote control to the mobile (why do mobiles come with a remote control you might be asking...not sure, never used it). Now, I find myself staring at the high chair box, thinking...maybe I could just prop him up on the box and somehow feed him that way with a towel underneath. I have way lost my motivation to assemble and I haven't even experienced one Christmas. I think the carseat is a job for daddy. Don't worry, we will install it, there is no need for Social Services to do a home visit.


Have a Splash today!

Rachel