Just so everyone knows: I find comfort in the fact that any visitors to this blog stop by voluntarily. Because, obviously, watching my baby grow up in the billions of pictures I post of him weekly isn't everyone's idea of a good time. I mean, it is great for me. I love having pictures of him to look at while I am at work. It is pretty pathetic how much I miss him during the day. If I think too much about it, I start to tear up. So, having the pictures only an internet click away is comforting to this first time mama.
And, yes, these really are the things I think about late at night and how I rationalize what I do and why.
Of course, I have friends that are horrified that I put Banner's picture up on the web in the first place, but I try to be selective and careful. I hope creepy pedophiles aren't drooling over images of my son online, but I can only control so much. Before we were even discharged from the hospital back in January, images of Banner existed both on Baylor's site as well as Mom365. Granted, you had to enter a password and know Banner's real name to access them, but that is just the kind of very public, information driven world we live in. Heck, for sh*ts and giggles, I Googled Banner’s name the other day, and discovered four or five links with his full name and birthday out there on the good ole World Wide Web. All were from well-meaning churches of family members around the state announcing either Banner's birth or baptism. But my point is, no matter what I do or don't do, my kid is going to be out there. At least this way, until he gets older, I can (sort of) control the content.
Or maybe that is just the way I go about making myself feel better about it all. Because, let’s face it, I really have no control. A fact that is blatantly obvious based on the number of links my seven month old already has on the internet that I was completely oblivious to until I randomly decided to look it up one day. None of which were this blog, by the way.
But back to visitors to this site: I like that you have to want to come here. Because I don't want to be that annoying mom that is constantly showing everyone pictures of her baby to people that don't want to see them. I'm not like that at all in person. I mean, if you ask, I'll pull out the iPhone, but otherwise I try to keep my Proud Mama alter ego under control. But I'm only able to do that because I go all ape-sh*t crazy with "OMG, Banner just farted" updates on my blog. Honestly, I don't know why anyone other than me ever stops by this little corner of the Internet. Even my family only visits every so often (my dad doesn't even know the address). And I have to ASK Trevor. I’m fairly certain if I stopped blogging tomorrow, he’d never notice.
So, if you are reading this, thank you. Thank you for giving me an outlet to be THAT annoying parent in the least intrusive way I can imagine. You are keeping me sane. You have to channel all that parental pride somehow. If I could, I'd give you all a medal.
And, yes, I am well aware that no one other than me may be reading this. But that is okay, because I was always really good at "let's pretend" when I was a kiddo. Blogging is more or less the best imaginary friend I have ever had.
Fan-tab-u-lous.
And now, with that, let’s get back to our regularly scheduled programming...
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| From the dinner at Brook Hollow mentioned in THIS POST. |
Banner can not only sit up like a big boy, but get out of the sit as well. This is kind of a big deal, because we were using the sit as a way to keep Banner in one spot on the floor temporarily while we ran to the bathroom or warmed up his bottle. Parents of the year, I know, but sometimes you need to put the baby down for a second without worrying that he will crawl over and start gnawing on the carpet fringe.
The funny thing was that Banner KNEW we were using the sit as a way to confine his movement temporarily, and started trying to avoid the position altogether. You'd try to sit him down on the floor, and he would become absolutely straight and rigid. He'd do everything in his little power to keep from sitting if he could help it. Of course, now that he can liberate himself from the sit, he has no problem with the position. Little stinker.
Banner has also developed a dislike for the changing table; both at home and at school. I think it is because he thinks he is missing out on something fun and exciting in the time it takes to slap on a fresh diaper. If he had it his way, I'm sure he vote to sit around in his own filth for hours.
Similarly, the little guy has started to resist getting into his car seat, and will twist and turn in an effort to avoid being belted into the carrier. This is especially true when I pick him up from day care, because he would prefer to stay and play instead of going home. Of course, if he is bored or tired, he has no problem with getting into his car seat. Banner isn't verbal yet, but he sure does have his own distinct way of communicating and letting his thoughts be known.
Banner with his Grand Uncle, Bud.
Banner is still committed to the army crawl as his preferred method of transportation, but he is getting up on his hands and knees more and more and revving his motor (rocking back and forth). I think once he realizes it is faster than dragging your lower half around the house, he will make the switch. Especially now that he tries to follow me from room to room. I'll put him down in his nursery to play while I run and put the bottles in the microwave in the kitchen (to sterlize them). It takes all of eight seconds to walk the ten steps from Banner's room to the kitchen, but Banner has started to chase after me like he thinks I will disappear forever if he loses sight of me for a single moment. Last week, he made it all the way out into the hallway, which I thought was especially impressive.
Because of all the army crawling, I've had to order Banner baby leg sweaters. A lot of his female classmates sport them at day care, but they are difficult to find in something not pink and covered in flowers. Luckily, I have access to the internet and was able to locate a few pairs covered in footballs and whatnot to order. Technically, they are supposed to go on baby's legs to protect his/her knees when crawling, but - for now - we are using them to protect the little guy's arms from the chaffing and rug burn associated with dragging himself across the floor. They work like a charm.
Banner's buddy, Brox, is very jealous of Banner's leg/arm sweaters, and their teacher reported yesterday that Brox tried to pull one of them off of Banner's arm. That didn't go over well with Banner, but they apparently made up later because Banner let Brox pet his head. According to their teachers, Brox is all but obessed with my baby's bald head.
In turn, Banner is fascinated with Brox's hair. Or I should say ANY.OTHER.BABY because I have the only cue ball in the classroom.
Banner has also discovered that the socks we sometimes put on his feet can be taken off and played with like toys. But just like Sophie the giraffe, if he puts it down and crawls away, it does not mean that another baby is welcome to come along and start playing with said sock (or giraffe). Brox made this mistake earlier in the week, and Banner chased him all around the nursery trying to get his sock back.
Banner's is now fitting comfortably in 12-18 month clothes, which is just plain ridiculous. The twelve month footed PJ onesies I ordered him arrived recently, and fit him perfectly. I love that they have little anti skid treads on the feet since my little guy can't even crawl normally yet. I need to clean out his closet again, but it has been less than a month since the last time I did it. I can't believe how fast our little weed is growing!
He still takes after his daddy in the butt department (or general lack thereof), so he can still wear shorts and pants in the 6-12 month range. Except most of the pants are like 3/4 length shorts on Banner. He is a baby perpetually dressed for high water.
He even sleeps grasping the ever popular Sophie...
As for food, he is still taking five bottles a day. Four are formula and one is either entirely breastmilk or a mixure depending on how much I have produced in the last 24 hours. Banner generally sucks down between 7-9 ounces, and has shown no signs of wanting to drop a feeding.
Additionally, we have now officially tried all the "stage 1" fruits and veggies that our doctor recommended (peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, bananas, apples and pears). His favorites are - hands down - peas, carrots and pears. Sweet potatoes, bananas and apples are kind of growing on him, but it depends on his mood. He also loves both his baby oatmeal and barley cereal. We have still never given him rice cereal.
He generally gets solids twice a day (between his 9 and noon bottles and again between noon and 3 PM). I've tried giving him solids later in the day, but it usually only works on the weekends. During the week, he comes home from school too tired to do anything but drink his bottle, take a bath and head to the crib.
Banner has also experienced a lemon wedge (hysterical), and peach flavored "puffs". While he had a love/hate relationship with the lemon, he really did not seem to like the puffs at all and just held the two we offered him in his open mouth until they dissolved completely. I'm not even 100% sure he swallowed them. We tried again, but he refused to take them. However, Banner DID discover that he suddenly became VERY popular with Gypsy, Alley and Haskell if he threw them on the floor. So, we are holding off on those for the time being much to the dogs' dismay.
Next up: squash, avacado, apricots, mango, nectarines, papaya, plums/prunes and pumpkin.
The favorite activity of the day? BATH TIME! He loves the water, splashing around and playing with his rubber ducky. Banner has all sorts of bath toys to choose from, but the rubber ducky always wins out every evening. I always think of the song, "Rubber ducky you're the one. You make bath time so much fun," because, in Banner's case, it is totally true. Screw those other toys.
Bath time is so popular in this house that Banner has started to cry when we take him OUT of the water. I am pretty sure that, if it were left up to him, he'd stay in there all night.
Oh, and the rubber ducky? Totally the ones from the Sex Party last August!
Please note that in the above series of pictures, BOOKS won out. So proud!
Banner is also a BIG fan of toys that light up, beep or otherwise flash or make noise. We bought him a "cell phone" after we noticed how much he loves getting his hands on the TV remote control or our iPhones. His cell phone is made by Fisher Price, and is a perfect travel size. It makes noise, but is quiet enough to take to a restaurant and not disturb other diners. LOVE. IT.
We also finally got around to buying him a piano, which is the toy of choice to bang on. Seriously: BANG! BANG! BANG! Maybe we should get him a drum set?
The weirdest/scariest toy is a bear I bought him at first Monday at Market at the World Trade Center. It is suppose to help kids learn body parts (head, cheek, arm, leg, nose, ear, etc.). Except it also sings a creepy song (which may or may not include the words "fugly bear") and randomly announces, "I'm bored". It is more or less the kind of toy that Chucky was based on. The first time Banner played with it, he stuck out his lip and started to cry. There is something wrong with that bear. I don't care if it was only $3.
Of course, as the days have gone by, Banner has developed an affinity for "Bobby the Bear". Sigh.
Banner has gotten even more squealy and talkative lately. He coos almost non stop when he is in a good mood, and will "sing" along with songs on the radio when we are in the car. He seems to really enjoy the new P!nk song, Blow Me. Not sure how I feel about that, but it is kind of funny to hear/watch him start thrashing around in his car seat and kicking his feet to the beat when he hears a song with a beat he likes. I guess I will have to start being more careful once he begins to catch on to the whole English language thing.
(Especially since I just figured out what they are really singing about in Flo-Rida's Whistle. Because, "Can you blow my whistle, baby, whistle baby, let me know" isn't enough of a clue for all of us, okay? And, well, I've never claimed to be observant.)
A bunch of my friends with kiddos make me look bad by playing kiddie music in their car. I am assuming that will eventually be the case in mine as well, but I am relishing in "adult" music (a.k.a. crap) for the time being. Because it seems like a very slippery slope, and I don't want to wake up one morning listening to Barney.
And, yes, I realize that by making that statement that it is only a matter of time before I wake up one morning listening to Barney. The mere fact that the big, purple dinosaur freaks me out on a cellular level more or less guarentees that my children will be his BIGGEST fans. Because that is just the kind of relationship karma and I have nowadays.
Banner is also a trooper when we run errands and drag him places when he would probably rather be playing. On Sunday, he got to accompany us to sushi and on a rug buying mission. Five hours and four stores later, we finally made a purchase, and Banner hadn't even uttered a single noise of discontent the entire time. He is such a good baby. All he wants is to be with you and he is happy.
Of course, our house now looks like Rug Depot. It is what happens when you inherit a bunch of small, akward-sized but really, really nice rugs from you grandmother before finally breaking down and buying a rug that actually fits a particular room or space. But you repurpose the smaller rugs in other areas of your house, because they are expensive, high quality and sentimental, and you just can't bear the thought of them being reloated to the attic. Yeah, I know, #firstworldproblems.
It is funny, though, because even though we only added ONE RUG, it feels like we bought several. Not quite sure how that was accomplished, but there you go.
For reasons I don't quite understand, Banner got to go and spend Monday afternoon in the toddler room down the hall. Apparently he had a good time with the "big kids". The only problem was that the kids in that classroom have scheduled naps, and Banner is currently boycotting any kind of sleep during the day if he can help it. So, while the older kid slept, Banner played with all their toys and entertained the teachers with his antics. He was especially tickled to discover the older kids have a giant version of Sophie the giraffe. It didn't go over well when he was forced to leave her behind.
Things that are awesome: Having a sitter and watching The Dark Knight Rises while drinking red wine at the North Park AMC. And it was made even sweeter by the fact that I didn't fall asleep like I did during The Avengers. It gives me hope that motherhood hasn't made me completely pathetic. Yet.
For some STUPID reason, I keep forgetting to put my expressed milk in the fridge before I go to bed at night. The stuff is like liquid gold, and nothing is more painful than having to throw it out first thing in the morning because I forgot to put the bottle in the fridge. Because: Oy!
Trevor made up song for Banner: Banner-man! Banner-man! Kind of like Superman, but not really!
Except NOTHING makes Banner smile bigger and brighter than calling him Banner-man. His teachers have noticed it to, and have changed the lyrics to the Spiderman theme song to Banner-man. He hears it and starts to kick his legs and flail about. Most adorable thing ever. I tell him all the time that he is my little superhero.
The kid has also discovered the wonder that is a rolling ball, and he will chase one all over a room.
He is also starting to try to pull himself up. There is a lower shelf on our coffee table, and Banner will reach up and try to "crawl" up into it. Sometimes I look at him and wonder what he did with my little baby. It seems like he is growing up so fast!
Nothing makes Banner happier than exploring the house and kicking his little legs and feet on the wood floor. He is a very busy baby. Always on the move and completely fascinated with the world around him. I hope the little guy never loses his sense of wonder. It is a beautiful thing. If only it would cool down enough outside so I could start taking him on walks again.
On Monday, a weird note came home with Banner about table food. Except he isn't eating table food yet. Turns out Trevor turned in his feeding schedule this month and accidentally ticked "table food". So glad we cleared that one up before any thing other than baby food was dispensed!
Maybe there is a good reason why I handle most of the paperwork? ;P
Is any one else totally not ready for the Olympics to be over? I have had such a good time watching them, and cannot believe how fast the last two weeks have flown by. Loved watching the Swimming and Gymnastics competitions, and discovering sports I never knew existed - like Race Walking and Rhythmic Gymnastics.
Also, the end of the Olympics marks the beginning of conventions, debates and political ads from now until November. I cannot believe that it has been four years since Trevor and I got engaged, and the last Presidential election. Time is really starting to fly by the older I get. Adults have been telling me that since I was a kiddo, but I'm only starting to understand what they meant. I vividly remember when my cousin was born just a few days before my sixteenth birthday. I can recall thinking that I would be nearly thirty two when she had her sweet sixteen, and thinking that I would be SO OLD. Well, on August 2nd, it finally happened. Who knew sixteen years would go by so fast? At this rate, I am going to blink an eye and Banner is going to be graduating from high school.
And, for the record, thirty two doesn't feel nearly as old as I thought it would.
All in all, it has been a good week. Two little girls were born on my birthday this year (Trevor's boss and Jessica's baby, Melody), and this weekend I get to spend time with good friends before they get married in September and move to Chicago.
Oh, and the countdown to our vacation in Colorado has begun. I can't wait to show Banner the mountains and wake up to the sound of the creek that runs through my mother's property. Pure Bliss! I can't wait!
3 comments:
I want you to know that I read every word. And enjoyed all the pictures. But perhaps I have my own problems.
Thank you, Mel. Of course, you might be a little biased since the B-Man is essentially a nephew of yours!
Essentially?!?! He totally is! I don't need blood to claim a nephew.
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