Starting Solids

Been busy with holiday stuff, but it's time to re-visit December 19th - Reid's 6-month birthday.


We celebrated with the introduction of solids (i.e. mmmmm, yummy rice cereal). As expected, he LOVED it! (He loves everything that goes in his mouth.) Here he is enjoying a bite and learning the wonders of the spoon.

I've heard that some people have problems getting their babies to eat. We've had some issues with Reid (e.g. sleep), but so far eating is one thing we don't have to worry about. He was all over his rice cereal... all over it like white on rice! And it was all over him.

Maybe we overdid it a little... can you get a baby drunk on rice cereal?

In any case, I think a good time was had by all. And don't worry - we didn't let Reid get behind the wheel. Stay tuned for more of Reid's gastronomic adventures with oatmeal and barley!

A Whole Half a Year

Happy 6-month birthday Reid! Has it been that long? Oh yeah baby, it has.

We've been partying so hard today I haven't had a chance to write about it. Well, partying may not be the exact accurate term for running errands, doing laundry, finishing the last of the Christmas cards, trying to finish Christmas shopping, taking Reid to the doctor for his 6-month checkup, getting a flu shot, feeding time (starting solids!), getting Reid ready for bed, putting Reid to bed...oops, changing poop-stained crib sheets, repeat putting Reid to bed... but anyway, enough about my rockstar lifestyle. Let's just say I've been busy. Will hope to report more on the festivities later. For now, I'm off to try again for an antihistamine-free good night's sleep (see previous entry) and leave you with a parting shot of the birthday boy.

Thumbs Up

Reid made a very exciting discovery few weeks ago - his thumb!

He's actually stumbled upon it a few times over the past couple of months, but now he seems to have learned exactly where to find it and that it will always be there for him at all times. And he is now officially a thumbsucker. Which I don't think in itself is necessarily a good or bad thing (at least at this age - we'll talk in a few years), but the thing is that he is able to soothe himself by sucking his thumb. Which means that he doesn't need Mommy's (or Daddy's) help to soothe him back to sleep every time he wakes up in the middle of the night. And this, combined with his mastery of rolling which allows him to position himself however he likes, means that the boy is sleeping much, much better - sometimes all the way from bedtime 'til morning! Hallelujah!

The first night he did this was December 8th, 2008 - a date for the baby book! He slept from 7:30 pm 'til 8 in the morning - 12 1/2 hours! Now of course just because he slept all night doesn't mean I did. I woke up in the middle of the night and waited a while for him to wake up... and when he didn't, I checked on him to make sure he was still breathing. At first I thought he wasn't, but turns out he was. Whew! Here he is the morning after (note freshly removed "thumbs up"):

He hasn't slept this well every night since, but a few of them he has and that, my friends, is what I call progress. His record is 14 1/2 hours. That's not a typo - 14 1/2 hours in a row. That's more than he had previously slept in a 24-hour period. And then he took a 2-hour morning nap. So then I started to worry that he might be a narcoleptic. But I'm not complaining!

As luck would have it, I wasn't feeling well that record-breaking night, so I took an antihistamine. A 12-hour release antihistamine. I had forgotten that antihistamines jack with my sleep. So I woke up about 3 hours into my slumber. And I was up. All night long. Awake, as my formerly sleep-challenged baby slept... well, like a baby. One of these days we'll both get it right on the same night.

In the meantime, even if I don't sleep well I still reap the benefits of his sleep, as he's in a much better mood when he's had a good night's sleep. I love walking in to this well-rested face in the mornings

So while I don't anticipate that every night will be a 14-hour marathon (I actually doubt that will ever happen again), I have high hopes for many more nights of good sleep - for Reid and, eventually, for me. We'll keep you posted!

An Afternoon in the Life of Melinda

12 pm Read funny email from Lisa describing her disgusting ill-behaved dog. Chuckle and consider reply boasting about pleasant well-behaved schnauzer, but decide not to rub it in. Besides, small human requires immediate attention.

12:05 pm Pet and cuddle pleasant well-behaved schnauzer. Tell schnauzer what a good boy he is.

12:10 pm Notice large booger in small human's nose and deal with it.

12:15 pm WAAAAAAH!!! Small human wails as I load car and make preparations to leave the house with him and well-behaved schnauzer.

12:30 pm Pick up small human and begin to load him in car. He spits up foul-smelling curdled milk on himself and me.

12:40 pm Change small human's clothes. Consider changing my shirt. Decide against it as it will undoubtedly become soiled again by end of day and settle for wiping it off.

12:55 pm Embark on car ride with small human and schnauzer to inspect a property.

1:05 pm Small human sleeping peacefully in car seat. Pleasant and well-behaved schnauzer curled up sleeping peacefully in passenger seat. Sigh contentedly at how well this venture out is going.

1:35 pm Arrive at property and take pictures as small human and schnauzer wait in car. Schnauzer barks at men working. Small human awakens and cries.

1:45 pm Set off for stop #2.

2:00 pm Notice pleasant well-behaved schnauzer is trembling and wonder if I should stop to let him go outside. Remember that he went out just before we left and decide he is fine, just excited by our adventure.

2:05 pm Disgusting schnauzer barfs all over passenger seat.

2:06 pm While driving on highway, I reach for small human's blanket in the backseat (having decided that I need it more than he does at this point) and use it to cover schnauzer barf in an attempt to keep it from spreading. Abort mission #2 in favor of going home immediately. Decide there is nothing more I can do until I get home. Based on high volume of schnauzer vomit, I determine that schnauzer is surely done with that.

2:20 pm Almost home, just a little bit further.

2:21 pm Schnauzer barfs again, this time more liquidy, on passenger side floorboard.

2:25 pm Arrive home. Place disgusting schnauzer with vomit-crusted beard in yard.

2:30 pm Begin cleaning out disgusting vomit-filled car.

2:31 pm Small human wails. Attempt to explain importance of cleaning up schnauzer vomit immediately. Small human wails more loudly. Disgusting schnauzer with vomit-crusted beard in yard emits high-pitched yelps as he realizes he is missing out on some kind of excitement. Hope that new neighbors do not call CPS/SPCA.

2:45 pm Having removed all major chunks amidst a chorus of small human wails and high-pitched schnauzer yelps, give up on vomity car. Decide the rest is a job for a professional.

3:00 pm Small wailing human is hungry. Disgusting schnauzer with vomit-crusted beard in yard wants to come inside, but is not allowed until he has had a beard bath. Decide to feed small human while enduring sound of high-pitched schnauzer yelps.

3:20 pm Set small human down for "independent playtime."

3:25 pm Go outside to retrieve disgusting yelping schnauzer with vomit-crusted beard. Schnauzer excitedly grabs toy and runs off signaling that he wants to play. I am not amused. Get hold of schnauzer and carry him inside for beard bath. Small human is wailing again.

3:30 pm Set schnauzer with vomit-crusted beard in bathtub. He jumps out. Grab him, put him back in tub and commence beard bath. Small human's wails become louder.

3:35 pm Quickly finish beard bath. Probably missed some crusty vomit, but I'm over it. Vow not to let disgusting schnauzer nuzzle me or small human. Head back to tend to wailing small human who by the sound of it is nearing hysteria. As I enter room, he stops wailing and smiles gleefully. His face is covered in snot and drool, which is dripping onto the floor. I find a cloth and wipe it off.

3:45 pm Finally sit down to relax for a minute. Just one.

3:46 pm Hear tell-tale sound coming from small human. He's crapped himself - again. Turn to disgusting ill-behaved schnauzer and see that he is licking himself. Reinforce no-nuzzling vow. Wonder why I have chosen to share my living quarters with these foul creatures.

Hours later... Sit in bathtub cleansing myself of the many particles of multiple bodily fluids that have accumulated on my body throughout the day and fantasize about a distant time when I dealt only with my own fluids.

Snow!

Those of you from the north - or even north of Houston - may want to skip this one, as I'm sure you won't be impressed by our version of "snow."

Wednesday night we had snow in Houston! (This is very rare.) The snowflakes were big and beautiful as they drifted to the ground... and melted on contact. Nope, there was no sticking - at least not at our house - but it was neat just to be out in it in our backyard. Reid seemed to enjoy his first snowfall.

And Harvey, who is scared of water and has been known to "hold it" for hours and hours to avoid going outside in the rain, seemed to have no problem with the snow and even wanted to get in some playtime in it.

And just in case you don't believe the white specks in these photos are actually snowflakes, I have video!





Oh, quit laughing at me - it was snow, in Houston!

A California Thanksgiving

Reid's first Thanksgiving was spent in California with the Hamilton clan which meant, of course, Reid's first plane trip. All in all, it went well. We had timed it just right so that he would be ready to nod off to sleep just as the plane took off. As luck would have it, our flight was delayed and he was all kinds of cranky as we waited in the terminal. I'm sure the other passengers were hoping they wouldn't have to sit next to us. But we finally got boarded and as the engines started up, I threw on my Hooter Hider and Reid took up booby duty. (Nursing helps during take-off and landing as the sucking helps the baby's ears pop.) Here he is shortly after take-off, fast asleep.


Ah, relief. I then settled in to listening to my audiobook and enjoying the peace as Reid slept. Until he woke up 5 minutes later ready for action. So, I spent most of the flight playing with Reid and bouncing Reid and singing to Reid (quietly enough that other passengers couldn't hear) and "dancing" with Reid (to the extent possible in a plane seat) and finding things that didn't have plane funk on them for Reid to put in his mouth. Everytime I would sit still for a moment and try to relax, Reid got that look on his face that let me know in no uncertain terms, "Mommy, if you stop entertaining me I WILL scream my head off and embarrass you in front of everyone on this plane" and so I'd start up again playing and bouncing and singing etc. There was one 40 minute nap in there somewhere, but I was definitely on duty for most of the 3 1/2 hour flight.

Infants under 2 years old aren't required to have a separate seat, but since we had a free ticket to use, Reid did have his very own seat, but naturally he didn't want to sit in it so even during the 40-minute nap, my arms were working. But at least we had the row to ourselves.

I also changed my first poopy diaper in an airplane lavatory. Did you know there's no changing table in those things? Just the top of the nasty toilet seat. UGH. But we managed and got the job done without stinking up the whole cabin. Does that qualify me for a special mile high poopy diaper club membership? Ah, so many firsts!

At the end of the flight, I was exhausted but I think the passengers around me were grateful for my efforts in keeping the cabin relatively quiet and stink-free. After the flight, Reid charmed the crew as we waited for his stroller to come out at the gate. Here he is in the Captain's arms:

And then it was off to Grandma's house! Grandma Linda (GLinda for short) was so happy to see her grandbaby. And just in time for her birthday - happy birthday GLinda!

And I was happy to have another pair of arms around to hold the not-so-little man. My arms were so sore the next day!

Reid spent the rest of the week in California charming family and friends during the days. He enjoyed time with his Auntie Lisa (with fur-cousin Pierre here)

... and Auntie Pam - many thanks to Pam for carrying on a dance marathon with Reid so that I had a chance to eat my turkey dinner in peace! (And what a meal it was - thank you Lisa and Steve!)

He loves the ladies and they love him! And while his sleep patterns at home had gotten significantly better the week before we left, the change in environment wasn't working for him and he spent most of his nights keeping us awake. But on Thanksgiving Day, I had my revenge (as I always do) when I dressed the boy for his first Thanksgiving.

On the plane ride home, we didn't have a seat for Reid. He performed as instructed and fussed and cried loudly while the other passengers were boarding, so that everyone avoided our row and we had it all to ourselves. (We were flying Southwest, where there is no assigned seating.) Then he fell asleep on cue at takeoff and stayed that way for over an hour. When he woke up, we proceeded with the entertainment regimen, found cootie-free things to put in his mouth, watched a Baby Einstein DVD and stayed relatively quiet.

Before the flight as Reid was crying and being a nuisance I heard the guy behind me comment, "I guess I can't complain, I've got two of 'em at home." After the flight he smiled and told me, "He's a real good baby!" Yes, he is. Good job, Reid!

A Chill in the Air

I am loving my first winter! My Nana knitted me this cool little blue cap to keep my bald head warm. Mommy says it's not really all that cold since we live in the south, but she'll take any opportunity - like temperatures in the lower 60's - to put something on my head to enhance my cuteness.

I don't mind looking cute for mommy for a little while, but when she's not looking I really like letting it slip down over my eyes and giving my gang hand sign so I look like a super fly gangsta - talk about tough!!

12/10/08 update: Mommy takes it back about it not being that cold here - it's in the 30's today!!!