Updates on our little "streamer with a message"...

 

My little pumpkin

So, yeah. Behind again.

Shocker, right?

Sigh, I know: Not really.

In my defense, October has been a whirlwind. Every week there has been a new drama, and I am still reeling from it all.

Actually, now that I think about it, 2012 has been quite the year, and we still have two months to go. To date, everyone in my immediate family has been in the ER or had a medical scare since the New Year. Reasons have ranged from blood poisoning to a concussion to a severe allergic reaction to intestinal colic. And to top that off, we've had two emergency procedures following bad test results and biopsies in October alone.

So Universe, if you are reading, UNCLE.

Of course, there have been good things, too. I am now only working 32 hours a week so I can spend more time with Banner and get things done (like going to the grocery store and running errands that have been on my to do list for MONTHS). My goal is for it to turn into "Mondays with Mommy", but the first two Mondays have been more like "Half Days with Mommy". Funny how fast free time gets eaten up. I know it will eventually calm down and be more predictable, but so far Mondays have been like a desperate race to get as much done as possible AND spend extra time The Ban Man before returning to work on Tuesday.

And, speaking of blessings, I've learned recently that even a concussion can have a silver lining. Without it, something much more insidious may have not been discovered until it was too late. God works in mysterious ways, my friends. It is cliché, but this was one case where you can truly claim that everything happens for a reason. It sounds weird, but I am here to tell you that it is indeed possible to be grateful for something like a head injury.

But enough about all of that. I want to update everyone with the goings-on of my favorite pint-sized little man!

Banner is busy, busy, busy. He pulls up on EVERYTHING and - unless he is sleeping - is constantly on the move. Both his pediatrician and day care teachers think he will be walking before Thanksgiving (Lord, help me!). It is definitely helping their case that Banner cruises all around and thinks that reorganizing the furniture is great fun. In fact, they have had to remove the rocking chair from the nursery at school because Banner thought it was hysterical to stand up and push it around the room as he practiced walking. Problem is that he wasn't watching where he was "driving", and his teachers were worried that he would eventually run one of the other babies over.

Walking by way of pushing an object is definitely Banner's preferred method of getting around nowadays (assuming a person isn’t around to hold his hands and help him balance). He also loves to pull up on our coffee table at home, but hasn't figured out how to go around corners yet. As a result, he walks down one side of the table, sits down, army crawls around the corner and pulls up again. Not the most efficient way to get from point A to point B, but it works for him. Unless, of course, it delays him from eating one of his puffs or getting something he wants, and then "waaaaaaaa"!

Because of his love of pushing things while walking, Banner now has to go into his crib when the other kids in his class go into the high chair for a meal or snack. Because, otherwise, my baby would take his classmates on a tour of the nursery while they chowed down on finger foods. And, well, no one wants him to accidentally push over an occupied high chair. So, now he is simply relegated to his "jail cell” when another baby is eating.

Apparently, Banner used to protest his “unfair” imprisonment by crying and throwing his pacis, shoes and anything else he could get his hands on out of crib. Until, that is, he realized that he could have the other babies in his classroom bring him things to play with while he is waiting it out in solitary confinement. The teachers all joke that Banner is the King of Room 2 because he stands in his crib while his peers leave toy offerings at his feet.

When he isn't in his crib (a.k.a. "the slammer"), Banner and Brox love to throw a toy across the room and then race to see who can get to it first. This occupies the two of them for hours. Banner also enjoys squeezing himself into tight places, like on shelves and underneath cribs. It is like he is trying to go where no other baby has ever gone before. He is an explorer, that one. And he isn't afraid to try new things. He eats anything and everything we offer him, and is always finding tiny bits of leaves and string on the floor and shoving them in his mouth.

His "spit up phase" finally seems to be coming to an end. His teacher, Angela, is especially happy about this because before it felt like it was Banner's mission to crawl up to her and spit up IN her crocs every day. Even though it wasn't intentional, it kind of always felt that way. It used to be a REAL challenge to get to work without wearing regurgitated milk somewhere on my being, so I completely get where she was coming from. I always joked that my baby was marking me with the contents of his stomach so he would recognize me later when I came to pick him up.

Hanging with Uncle Spencer.

Banner has also taught his classmates how cool a cardboard box can be. He spent most of Tuesday on, in or under the box that his latest supply of size 4 Huggies came in. His teachers commented on how funny it was to see the box scoot across the floor seemingly by magic because you couldn't see Banner underneath.

That's my boy.

Banner has also mastered the sippy cup, learned to play peek-a-boo and clap his hands – the last one seemingly overnight. Trevor went in to feed him his early morning bottle late last week, and came back into the bedroom later saying, "Did you know Banner could clap? Because that is all he has been doing this morning". Now, he claps whenever he is happy. It is usually occupied with a big smile and scrunched up nose. He is SO proud of his new skill!

Peek-A-Boo!  I see YOU!

Peek-a-boo is also a newfound favorite activity, and he loves to play it with his washcloths, towels, blankets – EVERYTHING. It makes him laugh so hard when he pulls the blanket away and sees mommy or daddy on the other side smiling and saying “boo”. Well, except on Monday, when he covered his face with the top sheet on our bed, and didn't move. I was ready with a big smile on my face, but…nothing. After a very long wait, I realized that Banner had actually fallen asleep. That boy has 0 to 60 sleeping skills just like his father.

The poor baby has been teething for most of October. He got his first two teeth back in June and then nothing until his front teeth came in at the end of September. Then, BAM! Six teeth at once. We haven't slept well in weeks at our house. There is nothing worse than a teething baby, except, of course, a teething baby that loathes the taste, texture and smell of baby Tylenol. Lucky us.

To help soothe the teething beast, Trevor and I have been giving Banner lots of things to chew on including these Earth’s Best teething biscuits I found at the store. He absolutely loves them. Unfortunately, they are just about the messiest thing on the planet, and he get teething biscuit goo all over everything (including himself). He even shoved some up his nose last Saturday just for the hell of it.

Banner now babbles constantly. His favorite "words" are dada and mama, although I'm not sure he has actually connected them either to Trevor or me yet. He still consistently calls Gypsy, Alley and Haskell "ga", though.

The little weed is now wearing 18 month onesies. I've been in denial about it for weeks and have been shoving him in too small outfits when I really just need to give up and accept the fact that my baby wears clothes meant for a kiddo twice his age. As a result, I have plans to finally clean out his closet this weekend. Sigh. At least there will be spare hangers again.

He also has hair. I know it doesn't look like it in pictures, but that is only because it is THE EXACT same color as his skin. It is so light I'm not even sure it qualifies as "blonde". Can hair be clear? Because Banner’s is.

Ban is now eating Stage 3 foods, and ceased to be a vegetarian on October 17th. He is a BIG fan of the pureed beef pilaf. I haven't had beef since I was a teenager, and was secretly hoping my little guy would turn his nose up at it as well. But, alas, not the case. My cattle ranching father will be very proud.

Banner has gotten really into toys lately and definitely has his favorites. He LOVES balls, and thinks throwing, rolling and chewing on them is just about the most awesome thing ever. He also enjoys stuffed animals, and squeals as he gives them hugs and kisses. The sweetest, though, is how he snuggles with his lovies and WubbaNub giraffe when I put him in his crib at night. Petting them seems to help Banner soothe himself to sleep. It is absolutely precious to watch.

He also, much to Trevor's dismay, became rather attached to the baby doll at our church's nursery on Sunday, and teared up when I took it away when it was time to go home. Of course, I was in a hurry to leave and get Banner in the tub after one of the nursery teachers told me they had discovered a raging case of ringworm on one of the little girls earlier that morning. Because, O.M.G.

In other news, the little guy turned 42 weeks on Wednesday, which means that he has officially been on the outside longer than he was on the inside. I can't believe how fast time is speeding by. I’ll have a one year old before I know it.

OMG, my FACE!