Fresh Start

Dear Bastian,

New sleeping habits have motivated even more new beginnings....this blog will soon be fully converted to a hard copy (can you imagine?!) journal and you and your sister will have to do some more sharing from now on.

Looking back, I am happy to have been writing to you, and you alone since your pre-Earth existence.  Now that the milestones are slowing down just a bit, I think we all are ready for a merge.

Love you,

Mama

...And Mama's milk went night-night

My sweet little Bastian, what a delight it is to watch you grow into a little man. I am so happy to have a way to take pictures of you now and I hope we didn't miss too much these past couple months! You developed such a nice tan this summer from spending long days at the beach, which I am sorry we missed, but your hair is still bleached from the sun and your little expressions still as cute as ever.

Okay, so lets get down to it...sleep. After months of daily amnesia on my part, in which I would wake up almost hourly each night to nurse you back to sleep, then somehow forget it all happened and do the whole thing all over again the next night, I decided to take some action. About two weeks ago, your never-used crib mattress moved to the floor and some genius advice from a friend (refer back to the title of this post) gave me some motivation, and I was finally ready. You have taken the whole thing much better than I had anticipated, and the only problem we are having now is that you wake up somewhere between 5 and 6 each morning. Now if only I could get to bed before midnight so we all get a decent night's sleep...

So here you are! My rested little guy... I will share more with you at a later date, since my 5 a.m. wake-up call is quickly approaching!

Oh, and for the record- you go to bed around 8, so you end up sleeping about 9 hours! Compared to one 3-hour period as your longest stretch, I'll take it! And Mama's milk goes to sleep at night but "wakes up" about 2x/day.

Love,

Mama

Before my eyes

Much to update you with, no time to do it.
Words, lots of words, and short phrases too!
You will actually imitate almost anything we say, very different from your sister who wouldn't say a word unless she could do it perfectly.
Love: BALLS, animals, and transportation things (sort of)- did I mention balls?
Still a momma's boy; you do better trying new things and doing things outside your comfort zone when I'm not around so you can't clutch at my leg and cry (like playing at the beach)
Nursing like crazy, especially right now with lots of teeth coming in
Foods: you will only eat vegetables that are steamed/sauteed and mixed in well with rice, eggs, or pasta; fickle with fruit due to texture (you like muskamelon but if one piece is too mushy it totally throws you off), your favorite is cold sweet things, like your daddy

More soon,
Mama

Wrapping up Spring and onto Summer

Bastian,

As I'm posting these pictures I realize how glad I am you are walking. You are much more independent and a *little* less clingy. You entertain yourself simply by walking around our living room, down the halls, all while throwing things; preferably balls but lately other random objects have peaked your interest.

I forgot to mention the sounds you can make: cow/moo, sheep/ba ba, dog/woof woof, and car (the vroom sound is also your label for the noun) are the most consistent, but you imitate many more while playing (and you generalize the moo to other animals often times).

I wanted to write this much down before I forget....will write more soon!

It's midnight and you're awake wearing a tutu

I'm laughing and think you are adorable, trying to forget about how annoyed I was at you just minutes ago. I tried for 2 1/2 hours to get you to sleep with no success! I even let you cry for about 15 minutes in your crib (okay 10- I'm not ready people). The only thing I can think of is that your almost 4 hour nap today has thrown off your schedule. We went picking strawberries (which, thanks to the experience you will finally eat now!) and you were dead tired. If this means you are sleeping in tomorrow, I'm okay with it, but I highly doubt it...

You walk in full force these days (beginning about 2 weeks ago). I had envisioned in my mind my blog post entitled "Caught in the Act"- because this is exactly how the whole thing happened. You were taking a few steps here and there at the time, when all of the sudden one day Dad looked in Luthien's room where you were playing and noticed you practicing your walking all over the place. Now, you want to walk ALL the time, except at the most inopportune times, where you cling at my legs and whine for me to hold you (when I'm cooking, cleaning, trying to get anything accomplished of course)!

Back to the title of my aforementioned [missing] blog post....as the first steps are one of every mother's favorite milestones, I was excited to write to you about the event. Our camera, however, has decided not to cooperate with my plan, because it broke right at that time and we cannot get anything new right now :(

Words: up, that, this, open, out, off, apple, doggy, daddy, mama, uh-oh, no (your favorite, which you constantly say with an extreme nasal resonance), ball (okay maybe this one is your favorite), uh-huh, nana, banana (similar pronunciations), cat (still working on that velar sound but it's sort of there)...a few more that I can't think of right now.

Okay, gotta go try to sleep again. More soon-

Mama

Happy Birthday (and farewell winter!)

My sweet baby boy,

I do believe this is the last day I can technically call you that, although I am sure I will continue to do so until the day your next sibling comes along (or perhaps longer!)...

I have a terrible memory that seems to be getting worse the more I delve into motherhood. But I do remember VERY well the day that you were born- not the pain, but the joy. Feelings and emotions that I have difficulty putting into words, but lets just say the beginning of a connection I never understood could exist. Truly, my bond with you is different from any other and I am grateful to be your mama. I am sorry we didn't do much on your special day, but I hope to make it up to you this week, as the weather continues to warm up and we can do more and more things you love outside. Today, however, I did let you climb up and down the stairs in our apartment for a very long time. We also took Roofus on an extra long walk, just you and me at 6:30 a.m., another favorite activity of yours these days. You didn't care much for your birthday breakfast of rhubarb and apple cobbler that I stayed up late making the night before, but surprisingly, and sadly for me, this has become the norm recently- I don't want to say just yet that you have become a picky eater, because your mood has been different all around lately so it could be something else, so I will wait it out for now.

Here are just a few pictures from April:

We discovered a beautiful little farm nearby, and oh how you love animals! Quite possibly as much as your sister!

Easter Sunday, out at the park with Daddy while Mom enjoyed cooking without interruption; it made for a lovely spring dinner.

I am finally beginning to accept your becoming a toddler, especially since it comes with some of my favorite milestones. You took your first steps on the eve of your birthday, and also started signing and saying "more" that day! You love the attention you get when you do something new or good, the look you get on your face is so cute. You have started getting more into cars and trains and make lots of sounds as you push them along. Your babbling is beginning to sound more adult-like: long strings of sentences with great prosodic variation but filled with total gibberish. Love it.

I hear you waking up (after a 5 hour stretch, wow!) so that is all for now. Love you lots,

Mama

Suntans and shorts

We recently experienced firsts of both of these.

I had already forgotten how HOT it gets in Arizona beginning in March! I had no shorts for you, so we had fun picking out some things at a kids' consignment shop in Phoenix. While I did put a bit of sunscreen on you at times, I certainly wasn't prepared for the little tan you got very quickly!

We had a fun time in Arizona, but for much of it you were clingy and teething. And still not sleeping well. By the very end of our trip you finally started letting others hold you whether I was in sight or not, which was refreshing. Here are a few pictures from our little vacation:

We enjoyed many evenings playing outside on the lawn at your Nana/Grandad's house in Phoenix. I don't know if I've mentioned that balls are your very favorite thing to play with these days, but here you are doing just that. You have also just learned how to roll the ball instead of just handing it to me :)

We also had a great time in Tucson visiting Grandpa Ed, Grandma Sue, Grammy, and your Great Aunt Dee Dee.

Here you are at the zoo enjoying a ride in this vibrant stroller:

And pointing, a favorite past-time:

With Mama, sporting those sun-kissed cheeks:

The ride-on toys were still a little big for you but you enjoyed them when we pushed you for a bit...

Back up in Phoenix, we enjoyed many gathering with aunts, uncles and cousins. Here you are reuniting with your Uncle Rhett:

And crushing your big sister...

One night we took you and your sister for a hike. You were squirming like crazy until I finally realized you wanted to walk for yourself. We had to take turns holding you because you wanted to get down so badly and it became rather difficult to contain you! We let you walk for little stretches, especially on the rocky parts which were your favorite.

We had many fun playdates, including a few with your good old friend Everett.

We met your new cousin, Atreyu (middle) and second cousin Quinn...I thought you were big until I met these two chubby little 6 month-olds! You are longer than both but actually weigh the same (or less in Quinn's case)!

Attempting to get a 'goodbye' shot with the infamous Bastian and Atreyu, but you kept crawling toward me (at least you are waving, which was appropriate)!

It's definitely good to be home. I didn't realize how attached you were to your daddy until we got back; it was so sweet to witness your reunion.

Love,

Mama

p.s. I almost forgot to mention the throwing up that put us behind on our way to the airport in Phoenix. And then there was the large amount of throw up that came up just as everyone fastened their seatbelts preparing for our flight to Boston. And yes, it splashed on the woman next to us. And need I mention that we were out of extra outfits at that point? Another reason our reunion with dad was so sweet :)

Eating and Drinking

Dear Bastian,

I meant to put a video on here of you figuring out how to take your first drinks from a straw, but couldn't figure out how. Here are pictures from the same occasion.

You still LOVE drinking and eating anything. Luthien skipped the sippy cup and went straight to the straw early like you, but had no difficulty. You seem to choke a bit more so I try to only give you water and not during meals; this proves to be difficult because you are constantly pointing and grabbing for every cup in sight. Your favorite foods right now are frozen blueberries and yogurt- if you see either you immediately start pointing and babbling like crazy. You will eat oranges, limes, and lemons whole, or you would if I didn't stop you! You start eating the rind and get a bit of a confused face but still chomp away until I give you the middle pieces only. You did start spitting out raw vegetables because you finally figured out you can't really chew them- you still attempt to eat them but then you start spitting out little bits. And finally, I have noticed you also seem to prefer meat.

Eating oranges (you also love to share with us, and especially your sister)...

After incessant pointing, shouting, and grabbing (we're working on that), enjoying a home-made orange julius drink with dad:

And here you are enjoying some spaghetti out on the patio in AZ. Nana seemed to think I was starving you because I decided when you were done eating. Apparently you are supposed to decide that, but after awhile even she commented on the fact that you would KEEP eating and you didn't seem to want to stop. Ever.

Love,

Mama

Pictureless Update

Hi Bastian,

We are nearing the end of our vacation here in AZ and I feel like I need to provide a little update since you are changing so much everyday. I won't even mention the fact that you are almost 1- it breaks my heart to think that you are getting so old!

So...before we left on our trip I wanted to let you know that I had left out a few more consonant sounds that you say: /g/ and /n/. Also, at that time you started doing a fake sort of laugh whenever we laugh at you. Your favorite songs were- and are still "Old McDonald," "Itsy-Bitsy Spider," "The Wheels on the Bus," and the "La La" song from our library story time. You love music, dancing and clapping to the beat.

Since we've been here in AZ you started waving and saying "bye-bye" whenever people say goodbye to you! You also are saying /f/ and /v/ sounds and have tried to imitate a few times when I say "fan" (a new favorite thing to stare at and talk about). You started playing peek-a-boo by covering your eyes with your hands, taking them off and saying in a high-pitched voice, "da!" You have loved staring, pointing, and talking about lights for awhile, but recently you have been looking at my mouth and attempting to imitate the /l/ phoneme to say the word properly (very Luthien of you)!

Tonight your Nana helped you to take a few steps! She stood you up and scooted back and you took about 3 steps independently! I guess I need to work with you on that more often, although I'm still not terribly anxious for you to walk since you are already in to too much. You have had a snotty nose this entire trip and throw a terrible fit whenever anyone tries to wipe it, which is driving me nuts. You have also been teething like crazy and I am anxious for the next tooth to make its' appearance so you aren't so clingy. Tonight as we played outside, ate, and took a night hike, it was the first time you did pretty well letting someone other than me hold you, which was nice.

I know I will think of more but that's all for now little boy....

Love,

Mama

Sleepless Nights

...We've had a lot of those lately. Tonight was actually the first night in a couple of weeks that I was able to put you to sleep in your crib on the first try with no fuss as soon as your head hits the mattress, no waking up 10 minutes later and then taking another hour to get back to sleep- I guess that is why I am actually able to take a moment to write to you! Other than teething now and then during this time, I can't figure out why the change in your sleeping habits, other than you are getting older and wiser, and figuring out that as soon as you cry, mom will pick you up and nurse you back to sleep. We may have to start doing some sleep "training" with you soon, but I hope not to have to!

Here are some pictures from the last couple months (since New Years):

Admiring fishies:

Showing off some new threads:

Showing off those naked buns:

You seem very close to walking these days, and sometimes you'll take your hand off of whatever it is you are using to steady yourself and stand by yourself (once you realize you're doing that, though, you get very worried and quickly grab on to something or cry). You just need a little more confidence and I really think you could walk!

You are a very smiley, happy little boy but I can never get you to show off your 7, almost 8 teeth for the camera! You are always too stunned by the flash of the camera I guess.

You love this new toy our friend, Miss Carrie gave to us!

Again, here you are looking stunned while your sister shows off her new haircut!

All glammed up for church:

And finally, playing with your sister...you now understand her name and get very excited when you see her after being apart for any span of time. We refer to her as "Lu Lu" for you for now, and when we say her name and see her in the morning or after naps you wave your arms and babble away.

More new developments:

1) You respond to your own name consistently

2) You've replaced your army scoot with a real crawl!

3) You have started imitating the words/phrases "light," "all done," and "so big"

4) The only words I can confidently add to the list of words you are already comprehending are "eat," "water," and "up" (other than "Lu Lu" and the words mentioned in the previous post, which you are still consistently understanding). I think you may understand "drink," "potty" and a few more, but I want to be more sure before saying for sure!

5) Fine motor skills are improving with picking up finger foods and other small objects

6) You can drink from a straw!

7) More variations in your vowel sounds (variegated babbling), but you are still only using initial consonant sounds d, b, and m (the latter only when sad). There were a few days where I almost went crazy because you were repeating "da" over and over, all day long, but then you started changing things up a little bit again- I did look back at Luthien's blog and confirmed she had a lot more consonants at this age, but I always thought she was very verbal from a young age- no comparisons, I promise :)

I love you sweet boy, please sleep well tonight!

-Mama