FLIRT

Dear Pea,
You are a wicked flirt. We knew this, it's been clear since you became aware of other people.  But today's behavior really brought it home: you and I went to Yizkor services with friends from our childbirth class: the mama, daddy and your little buddy.  You were quite taken with your bud's daddy.  Seriously.  At first, every time he would look at you, you would nestle into my chest and flash him a smile.  You'd look away, then look back, smile and snuggle me. Okay, cute, then we all went about our praying business. But you weren't that interested in praying, you were interested in him. So you tapped his shoulder to get his attention. He'd look at you, you'd do the flirt smile nuzzle routine and then hit him again when he looked back at his siddur. I had to take you out of the sanctuary to let him enjoy the service.

A few weeks ago you were sick.  So sick that I called the doctor in tears three days in a row. By the third day, Monday, we went to the doctor and got a prescription.  You had been miserable for three days, rallying when necessary, but so upset when we changed your diaper or looked at the diaper rash.  When we left the doctor's office, you were in a rage-you had just been examined, you were tired and you were sick.  But as soon as we got to the pharmacy, you smiled up at that pharmacist and were in great spirits. Between the staff and the men in line behind us, you were suddenly feeling much better.

You like men, sweet pea.  Men in their twenties, thirties, sixties, you don't care.  You will smile at any man who smiles at you.  Women, meh, once in a while.  Of the three flight attendants on our flight home, you were gaga for the male.  OY

Here's your flirting smile.  Irresistible and you know it!

Clapping and climbing

Dear Pea,
We just got home from an 8 day trip to visit all of your Seattle family and friends. You again impressed us with your affinity for travel, your easy transition to west coast time and your willingness to fly.  You are a much better traveler than your daddy.

While in Seattle, we went to Rosh Hashana and Shabbat services.  You loved the music, the other kids and the grape juice. We also hosted a Mabon Goddess Circle to celebrate the Equinox.  You enjoyed this, too, though mostly because your big almost 5 year old cousin was there to play with you.  Wow, do you love your cousins.  All of them.  You flap your arms and start squawking when you see them, you smile and flirt with them and you happily crawl after them.  Not that they were ever very far away from you-you tend to be the center of attention at all times. 

Over the long week, you tackled crawling up stairs with no problem.  

You enjoyed a mellow playground where you could sit and watch other kids and we could move to the swings and leave our diaper bag within eye sight but not arms' reach.  

You spent some special time with some special people and even, eventually, got used to riding in the car seat. 

You started clapping and it's now your favorite thing to do.  You clap when you're excited, you clap when you see someone you're happy to see, you clap when we clap...You also started getting a bit more interested in food over the past week and have eaten a slightly larger quantity than before. Maybe two bites of food go in your belly now.  You enjoyed the salmon roe that Uncle Rossy got especially for you, the bright orange eggs and the little salty pop you got in your mouth. 

It was a sad trip, too. It was the one year anniversary of your Spirit Grandma's passing away and we said goodbye to Uncle Rossy for a long time.  Your happy spirit and enjoyment of all the people around you helped lighten the mood a lot. We are all so much in love with you, Sweet Pea. You bring joy to so many people, even strangers on the airplane can't resist your delicious smile and your happy clapping.

Crawling, Cruising and Connecticut

Dear Pea,
You are eight months old!  You are now an adept crawler, not doing any of the weird bear crawls or one legged push offs that so many of your comrades do.  You crawl very civilized, on hands and knees and not too quickly. You have also taken to cruising: you pull yourself up to standing on the coffee table and walk around it, hand to hand and foot to foot.  You like to see what's on the table and taste everything before flinging it to the ground.  Sometimes you will try to hold onto a found treasure and cruise at the same time and get a bit puzzled.  Not frustrated, though-you're so delighted with your new found mobility that nothing about it deters you.  You fall, you run out of table, you get stuck under the table...no matter. Everything is a thrill.

Last weekend we went to visit my grandma's brother in Connecticut.  WOW, did you love the country, city baby!  There were chipmunks and birds and so much green...it was lovely.  Your great great uncle has an adorable house with a stream that he dammed this summer and we floated on the water in a raft.  You kept trying to go swimming, trailing your fingertips along the surface, delighted with the cool water and the water bugs.  We ate all our meals outside and slept to the sound of cicadas and crickets.  And no one got any tick bites! Huge success.

 dining al fresco

 Daddy is making a silly face at you

 

  You want to go swimming!

Pea PJs! Our favorite!

SO many milestones!

Dear Pea,
What a week!! You have progressed in leaps and bounds! Today was the day I have been waiting for for so long: you crawled!  Hooray! You were sitting right in the middle of the living room and decided that the iPod charging cord was far too yummy to be far away from your mouth, so you crawled the six or seven paces it took to get it into your mouth.  Success! Delicious!

Yesterday you started pulling yourself up on the coffee table unassisted multiple times in a row.  Instead of using Daddy's hands or my knee to propel you or steady you, you're 100% lats and delts and quads.  Strong girl!

You are chattering up a storm, saying what we've decided is your official first word "UP!" You pull yourself to standing and declare yourself "UP!" You sit on the floor and look up at us and request "UP!" You are in our arms and happily remind us that you are "UP UP UP." Beyond cute.

And lastly, I've noticed a lot more movement in your hands.  We're starting to sign more and your hands are ready for the sign language.  Your fingers tighten into a ball and release, you wiggle your fingers, you wave. As I said, what a week!

AND, along with these developments, you are sick! Such an awful cold! Four nights ago you woke up every 90 minutes, screaming.  It was the worst night we've had since you were born, which made Daddy and I appreciate how great of a sleeper you are normally.  But not since then. It was terrifying because we didn't know what was wrong at first, though it became clear fairly quickly that you were incredibly congested.  So we took a steam together at 2am. And again at 4:30.  You quickly fell back to sleep each time after an upright snuggle or steam or bounce, but Daddy and I lay awake, worrying. The next day, you were stuffed up but in very good spirits. And it has continued to be that way.  Your awake hours are spent cheerful and active, occasionally punctuated by coughing fits or very snotty sneezes.  The coughing fits are scary and I took you to the doctor who listened to your lungs and looked in your ears and said it's just a cold, it will run it's course, keep up the steam and lots of fluids.  So that's what we've been doing.  Four or five steams a day, many many offers of boobie (while singing "milk") and trying to help you nap as much as possible. The past few nights have been tough, but not terrible.  Maybe two or three screaming fits in the night, usually the first one around 9pm, which doesn't even wake us up. And you go back to sleep after a snuggle, a bounce and some milk.  Here's hoping for a speedy recovery and a healthy happy baby.

 not too sick to enjoy some chocolate bar wrapping!

Would you like some cheese with that?

Dear Pea,
You are teething.  You are trying to walk, but don't have the balance. You are trying to crawl, but can't quite get that left leg to cooperate. You are trying to explore your surroundings but your parents keep taking the wires out of your hands and the remote controls out of your mouth.  Life is frustrating! So, you've been whining a lot.  A LOT.  You're happy for a few moments, and then you devolve into whine.  We distract you with a song, a toy, standing you up, sitting you down, a little boob, a little broccoli, the mirror and it all works, for a few minutes.  And then.

We understand.  Really, we do.  You are beginning to understand this big world and know that there are more rooms in the apartment and more people outside our doors and you just want to be a part of it all, already!  And, surprise surprise, you aren't the most patient person in the world.  Just like your parents. We really do understand, Sweet Pea! But we can't help you grow up any faster than we already are and we are so happy with every stage along the way that we wish you could enjoy it too.  Can I teach you to be a Zen baby? I think I would have had to teach myself to be a Zen grown up first...

Anyway, it's not all bad. Not even close.  As frustrating as things are for you, you have realized that things are funnier and brighter, too.  We've had some flies in the apartment (I know, eww) and you think it is hilarious when I swat at them.  We've taken to waving rolled up magazines in the air aimlessly because it tickles you so much.  You enjoy being in the kitchen with me when I cook-measuring cups and spoons are a big hit and you are impressed when I grate lemon zest and make the whole room smell citrusy.  You are becoming slightly more patient when we read books and will often sit and listen to a whole story, or at least play while I read and not knock the book out of my hands.  You love bath time so much that it's become a nightly occurrence. And you have discovered swings. 

A long overdue update

Dear Pea,
Wow, I haven't had much opportunity to write-you are keeping everyone on our toes.  Your favorite activity is to pull yourself up to standing, using anything in your path.  The most successful items are my fingers, Daddy's fingers and the coffee table, but that doesn't stop you from trying the big stability ball, the rolling chair, your swing...OY.  Though it has taught us that you are tougher than you appear. You fall down many many more times than you stand up and you are undeterred. Try again. And again. And again. Land on your tush, your side, your head...no matter, you try again.  Without complaint.

You can now maneuver yourself from all fours to sitting and back again. You like to roll from your side into all fours when I'm trying to nurse you to sleep in bed (this is very fun for you!) and you have developed a funny little roll that goes from sitting to rolling to sitting to rolling.  It doesn't get you anywhere very effectively, but you enjoy the ride. If you really want to get somewhere, you pull yourself up using Daddy's hands and then walk to where you want to go.  Double OY!


You're not too sure about the whole food thing.  You enjoy taking bites from my plate once in a while-egg yolks usually don't get spit back out. Peas are a fun game-you try to pick them up but don't have control of your pincher grasp, so they end up on the floor or in your palm, unable to get to your mouth.  You don't mind.  Carrots are your favorite-you always grab one if I'm eating it and I need to keep steaming them for you every day.

 You are ambivalent about yogurt.  One the one hand, it's super fun to smear around the table, your face and getting to hold that spoon is awesome! But on the other hand, it's not your favorite thing to have in your mouth. And your anxiety-ridden mama noticed a bit of a tummy upset after eating it, so we're holding off for a little while. But you sure look cute eating it!

You also have so much language these days! You know Mama and call out to me when you want me.  You call Daddy Abba or Dadda and call my dad Bobob. In the mornings and when Daddy gets home from work you greet us with "hi!"  You also just yell for fun.  AAHHHHHH! And Ah Boo! And Wawawawawa. Often these ramblings are accompanied by emphatic hand banging-you really want to drive home your points.

You laugh every day.  You are ticklish under your arms, at your hips and at your neck. You think it is hilarious when I exercise at home-push ups and burpees in particular send you into hysterics. Last night I held my first dance party with you around (how can I have not done this for so long? It used to be an almost nightly occurrence!) and you thought that was the funniest thing ever.  A little Jason Mraz, a little mama shaking and you were shrieking with laughter. Daddy came home to both of us doubled over in giggles.

Finally, a sweet memory I want to preserve from today: it was raining pretty hard and I needed to go to a meeting, so I put you in the Moby and grabbed the umbrella. You were enthralled with the umbrella and insisted on holding it the entire time we walked.  So, we walked a mile in the rain today, both of us holding the umbrella stem, keeping each other dry.

Nearing the end of your 7th month

Dear Pea,
We are almost at the end of your 7th month.  You are rocking your two bottom teeth and seem to have another one on the way. You push yourself up into plank position and sometimes onto your hands and knees-you are so close to crawling I can see it. 

The past couple of weeks I've been bringing you to the YMCA babysitting.  After a rough start, you now love it there.  They have so many toys to play with!  Sometimes there are a lot of other kids and I've come back to find you at the center of a circle, like a queen holding court, surrounded by toddlers and school aged kids entertaining you.  Other times you're alone with the sweet caregivers-you like this too because they will take you to see the basketball court or the pool. And, oh, the pool!  Well! You went swimming for the first time a week ago-we were lucky enough to be invited to take a class with other little ones.  This was fantastic for me because I learned some fun things to do with you in the water.  You were completely overwhelmed by the pool-you had eyes like saucers and just looked out at everything, not even making eye contact with me.  But the second time we went swimming, you were much more animated.  You splashed in the water, looked at me and the other kids and had a general good time!

getting ready to get in the water

swimming! we went with your BFF and she loved it, too!

 

The food adventures continue, too.  You finally have a high chair, though you've only been in it a couple of times.  The first time, you happily ate a carrot.  Well, maybe about a third of a carrot.  But you seemed to enjoy it. Then we gave you chicken.  Oh, my! You really like chicken.  We gave you a chicken wing and you would bring it to your mouth, open wide and then grin at us.   This is the first time we've ever gotten a response like that.  So, clearly more chicken is in order! 

 

But, really though, you will put anything in your mouth.  Chewing on anything and everything you can get your hands on is really the main event.  Including your poor little buddy here. In fairness, he does look delicious