Happy New Year - Almost!

Well, Christmas came and went at the Harris household. Unfortunately, I spent Christmas day with a terrible bout of mastitis which meant that Connor got to enjoy the day drinking only from bottles (which he didn't tire of until December 27 when he decided he was no longer going to drink from a bottle) and hanging out with his dad. I was in so much pain that I was basically unable to hold my little man for much time at all and breastfeeding him was impossible. So, I can't report that this was a very magical first Christmas - at least not from my point of view. Connor did, however, receive a little jingly man that he really likes, along with several other nice gifts from friends and family. I'm sure all of them will be put to good use in the coming months. Connor now actually has enough clothing that I don't think I need to be frantic about making sure his laundry gets done at least weekly - if not twice weekly - and that's certainly nice.

My mastitis cleared up enough that I was finally able to nurse Connor again the morning of the 27th, and things have continued to go well since then. I am no longer in pain, and Connor seems to be happy to be back to his sometimes bottle, sometimes Mommy feeding schedule. This morning, he was set to enjoy bananas for the third time, but Ed decided to eat the whole banana without thinking about Connor. I mean, come on, Dad - can't you save a one inch piece of a banana for the little guy who did give you an extra hour of sleep this morning?

On Wednesday night, Connor slept from 9:00 - 3:30 AM, which pretty much made him a rock star and last night was also good, though I don't remember how long he slept before he woke up. He did decide to sleep with his arms fully outstretched which I guess means he wants a full third of the bed to be exclusively his rather than getting a smaller share. Can't say I blame him. Of course, if he would sleep in his own bed he could have the whole thing - but that's not a priority for him right now.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! We're looking forward to ringing in the New Year at our friend's annual champagne tasting. And...the big news is that this year, I can actually drink some of the champagne unlike last year when I had to watch as others enjoyed the good libations and I got to be the designated driver.

Elaine

A great day!

Sometimes, it's really hard to be the mother of a sleepless 4 month old, and sometimes, it's really easy. For example, yesterday Ed came home to find Connor and I sleeping on the couch as I tried to get rid of a headache. Ed was barely out of his work clothes when I was requesting we order pizza for dinner and he take Connor. Let's just say that these past few months have given me profound respect for parents who do it alone, because frankly I don't think either Ed or I could make it without the other.

But today, we made it to Pottery Barn to pick up some picture frames WITHOUT CRYING IN THE CAR and we took a ride in the stroller to Safeway (again, without crying!). This is Connor's second consecutive day of cruising in the stroller and not being afraid of it. Can it be that he's all grown up? I know folks said it would happen fast, but at four months?

Connor is really grooving on solid foods. Today he tried barley cereal for the first time (one part cereal, two parts milk) and would've eaten more if I'd given it to him. But, alas, he needs to get his nutrition from milk so his solid food intake has to be limited. He gets excited when he sees me get out the cereal box and his spoon. Of course, maybe I would get excited too if my spoon were made of rubber and was a really groovy color like his is. Ed has decided that for Christmas day, he can try mushed up BANANAS! Now that should be fun. Every four days he gets to try something new, so hopefully it will continue to go as well as it has been going.

Some of you may have seen a photo of Connor in his stroller when he was just a couple of weeks old - well now he practically fits in the thing! These two facts probably account for him liking the contraption more these days. Hopefully he'll really enjoy it by the time Olimpia starts taking care of him full time because with two kids, she won't be able to carry him everywhere.


And, the most exciting news of all today, is that although it took Connor a little longer than normal to go to sleep, he has been sleeping on his own (in my bed) for the past 1.5 hours. This is twice as long as he normally sleeps before he needs me to ease him back into sleep. For the sake of everyone in my house, let's hope this is not a fluke and that he's actually learning to sleep.

Connor - when you read this in many years - here's what we go through each night. At 8:00, we put on a Bach CD which says it is "a soothing musical experience" and we put you in the bath. You splash around (finally! I know my dad kept promising eventually you would love your bath) - generally with daddy supervising you - and then I nurse you to sleep and lay beside you as you grunt, wiggle, suck your hands, look around, and generally entertain yourself, eventually falling asleep nursing. The whole time this is going on, I pretend to be asleep hoping you'll catch the idea of what you're supposed to be doing. Then, I very carefully move away from you a bit. You startle, I calm you. I move further. You startle, I calm you. And finally, I escape to outside my bed while you continue (hopefully!) to sleep. Eventually, I'm hoping to wean you of the nursing part, and then hopefully you'll let either me or your dad lay beside you to fall asleep. And then, maybe if we're really lucky, you won't need either of us. HAHAHA - I can't believe I actually typed that!

Oh - and for those of you concerned about Ed, he looked up the study with the rat. It takes 28 consecutive days before the rat dies. Surely Ed is stronger than a rat!

Elaine

And then the rat dies!

Two days ago, Connor tasted rice cereal. He's been watching me eat for a few weeks now, and apparently he was learning how to do it. He's a total champ - and it wasn't even that messy, though there were certainly some messy moments. Today, I diluted the cereal less and he was even better. He eats two teaspoons of cereal mixed with four teaspoons of breastmilk. He seemed very pleased with himself after this morning's meal.

But, life is not all good in our household. Connor is sleeping less and less - which means Ed and I are sleeping less and less. Ed took night duty last night, and between 11:00 and 3:30, Ed got no sleep. Connor was able to sleep some because he seemed to fall asleep instantly when Ed would pick him up. Then, as soon as Ed would put him down, he was wide awake again. At 3:30, Ed decided Connor was legitimately hungry and I nursed him to sleep. Before collapsing into sleep himself, Ed looked up at me and said "I feel like I'm a rat in one of those experiments where every time it doses off, the researcher wakes it back up. And you know what happens at the end of the experiment? The rat dies!" Ed declared the he and Connor were no longer friends and then he passed out. I took over duty of waking up every half hour to calm Connor when finally, even mean old Ed relented and said if I wanted, I could just bring Connor into bed with us. So, here we are, Connor's back in bed with us and I'm hoping against all odds that he sleeps tonight at least a few contiguous hours so I can get some sleep myself.



But, lest you think that Ed and Connor really aren't friends, Ed purchased him a very cool exer-saucer that Connor enjoyed enough to give us a whole dinner without him needing us. Woohoo! We may not sleep, but at least we can eat. Though sleep researchers suggest it's an Old Wives' Tale, many people keep telling us that giving Connor cereal will get him to sleep. Hopefully that's true.

So there you have it. Another post about sleep. I never thought I could think about a topic so much. You should hear Ed and I trying to ponder this mystery throughout the day when our zombie like selves try and piece this mess together!

Elaine

I love a piano

Now this is a cool toy! Connor can already bang on the keys - always a good skill for a budding Mozart. He can't sit up and play it by himself, but he's excellent at playing it while supported. At this pace, he might not even need Aunt Linda to teach him how it's done - he's probably a natural.

Tonight we went to a local pool hall and enjoyed a rousing round of pass the baby. Many thanks to my co-workers who held him and entertained him while I cruised into the final four of the winners bracket in the pool tournament. Unfortunately, my streak was ended by the person who eventually won the bracket and I left the bar before dueling to the finish of the loser's bracket.

Last night Ed was a rockin' champ putting Connor back to sleep every hour after Connor woke up and indeed, it seems as if Dr. Gandhi was right that Connor wouldn't be starved by not eating every hour. However, when Ed brought Connor to me at 5:00 to eat (the time we had agreed upon at the start of the night), Connor gave me the biggest smile ever and started chowing while Ed passed out. Connor woke up for good around 7:00 when he once again was quite a good eater and he smiled at Ed and looked at him with wide open eyes letting Ed know that the day was starting! Tonight Ed is once again taking nighttime duty (yeehaw!).

Elaine

Christmas comes but once a year...

unless you have grandparents who live out of town! Tonight two big boxes arrived filled with presents, and because I have no self control when it comes to presents, we decided to open some. After all, what if there was a puppy inside?

Connor was pretty happy to see a brightly colored car. He probably knew it was his because nobody else in the household gets happy looking things in primary colors. It makes a popping sound when it rolls, sort of like the old popcorn vacuums that Ed and I had as kids. He seemed pretty intrigued by the gift. He also got a bear that sings, talks, and plays games. He wasn't quite sure what to do with it, but in time I'm sure he'll figure it out. And then...he got a bunch of books, two of which I read to him before bedtime tonight. Tomorrow we'll open more presents, but this should give Connor something new for tomorrow during the day. And this is a good thing, because Connor's attention span is sometimes about 4 minutes long. Now that he's staying awake for longer periods of time, it can be a real challenge to entertain him. Ed or I pick up his toys, play with them, and then quick...find something new. Maybe a couple of baby sit-ups. And then it's on to tummy time, where he can show off his brilliant head control. (By the way, his head has advanced to the 75th percentile, which is fairly impressive since he's still hanging onto the 5th percentile in weight.) After big head Connor bobs around a bit, it's time to flip him over and maybe do a little baby massage. But, don't get too used to that because pretty soon he'll need to be put in the bouncy chair. And that's all in the first fifteen minutes. OK - I'm exaggerating a bit, but really - it's challenging to entertain this guy with his brain moving so fast. It takes a lot to keep him impressed.

Well, I better get some sleep since I'll be working again tomorrow. Tonight Ed is taking on night time duty since Dr. Gandhi assured us that Connor does not actually need to nurse every hour throughout the night. We're hoping to limit him to twice a night, and eventually push that to once. Connor needs to get a good night's sleep tonight because tomorrow afternoon Ed is bringing him to my office to go to the annual Children's Holiday Party along with my center's party at a local pool hall. Hopefully Ed will teach him how to play pool earlier in the day.

Elaine

Happy Four Month Birthday!

Dear Connor,

Today, you are four months old. And it's amazing all of the things you've learned to do in the last month. I'm trying to record them all, but a Mom can only type so fast! You have learned to put not just one, but both of your fists in your mouth. You have been eyeing your toes lately, and I expect they'll be in your mouth very soon. Lately, you've been the drool king - and last night, a mom of a two month old saw your drool and was amazed!

You are still gaining fan club members right and left. You are, after all, the most adorable baby ever. Definitely what you lack in sleep and car rides, you make up for in cute. You now listen very intently to some of your favorite books, and you can play - I mean actually PLAY with a few toys! Your beloved cube has been in your mouth, been dropped on the floor, shaken, and even bonked you on the head. Not sure how smart that last one is, but you don't seem to mind. It does make the cube jingle which is sort of exciting. You can now hang out in your swing for almost half of dinner - so I'm trying really hard to remember to eat the messy stuff FIRST, so you have less of it end up in your lap when I drop stuff on you. And man Connor, you own that piano bouncy seat. Aunt Linda doesn't need to worry about the musical genius in you! As long as the seat is on motion, you know just what to do to get the tunes going. Daddy and I had this brilliant idea that we could put it on a different setting tonight and you might enjoy that, but you actually CRIED instantly when you shook and nothing happened. I promise we won't try that again for a while!


And...most amazing of all, you celebrated turning four months old by rolling onto your tummy last night. You were swaddled with one arm out, and when you woke up to let me know you wanted to be moved from the co-sleeper into bed next to me, you were on your tummy! You chose not to repeat this feat in the daylight, but perhaps you'll hone think skill under the cover of night.


You have yet to be enamored with the car. Really Connor - BABIES LIKE THE CAR! And you're not so into sleeping by yourself, though you have started to sleep for a few hours each night on your own because frankly, even you can't stay up until 11:00 each night when your daddy and I go to bed. I gotta warn you, Daddy's reading a book on sleep and he says we're getting tough in the new year - so you got one more month of having the softest parents in the world.

You are an absolute champ at standing supported - everyone who sees this remarks on what strong legs you have, and you seem to love sitting up rather than lying on the floor, though you still have to be supported. I think this might be because you have a better view of the television. You open and shut your mouth in tandem with mine when you watch me eat, and a couple of times you have purposefully pulled your daddy's glasses off! Now that, my friend, is not a good idea because your daddy can't see very well at all. Of course, if you're doing it so you can pull a fast one, maybe it's a pretty good idea. Today, you discovered my hair for only the second time and wow is your grip a good one.

Last night, you were cooing at your daddy and I swear you said "hi" to him. It was absolutely the cutest thing ever. OK, almost everything you do is the cutest thing ever, so I guess this is more accurately among the cuter things you've done. You can still belch like a man and on occasion still wake yourself up when you pass gas. What a little man you are.

You are the love of my life and of daddy's, and we can't wait to see what you suprise us with next month!

Love,
Mom

A New Toy

Connor has discovered that his daddy wears glasses – and it’s a really great game to remove those glasses. Of course, sometimes the glasses get caught on Daddy’s ears, and then it’s a really frustrating game. This hasn’t happened too often yet, but I witnessed what can only be described as joy on Connor’s face this evening when he was playing his new game and succeeded in capturing the glasses.

Today we attended the annual cookie brunch at Krisi’s – and Connor was a total champ! He met several women and enjoyed testing out their laps. All met the basic criteria of being completely lovely to hang out in. Hopefully we’ll have more opportunities to test them in the near future. Tomorrow we’re going caroling with Chris which should be quite a bit of fun. Ed is going to be in charge of stirring the chili while the rest of us trespass on the neighbor’s property and greet them with our voices (how Ed describes it, anyway).

Hope you’re all enjoying the season! Ed is happy there’s snow, though it does mean less outside time for our little guy. He does, however, have a proper hat, as you can see, should be lucky enough to get outside.

Elaine

And he also has feet!

Connor has become increasingly enamored with his fists - and can reliably get at least one of them, and sometimes both in his mouth. It's a real joy when he manages to get both fists up there at once. It's almost as if one is just not enough. And twice yesterday, I noticed him eyeing his feet - as if he was also impressed with them - though they haven't come near his mouth yet.

He has also learned to make this fairly annoying bleating noise, which I hope he forgets about soon. There Ed was, walking around the basement with Connor to put him to sleep, and all I could hear upstairs was bleat...bleat...bleat. He also makes this noise when he's nursing and the milk isn't coming fast enough, though in these cases, it often becomes more of a groan. It's as if he's saying come on man...send the creamy stuff to me...NOW! Woody Guthrie sings a children's song "I want my milk, and I want it now" and he must have been singing about someone just like Connor.

You can also see that Connor got some new duds. He sort of looks like he's been to a Grateful Dead concert. Power to the babies!

Elaine

Sleep, who needs it?

For the past few nights, Connor has been trying to teach Ed and I how little sleep one actually needs to be able to function the next day. For example, I now know it is possible to wake up every two hours and stay awake for 30 minutes each time, a feat that I never even attempted before. Even in college, I pulled exactly one "all-nighter", and that was in grad school - and it was a big mistake. I suppose it's only fair since he allowed us to have so much sleep in the early weeks. Let's just say that Ed and I are seriously hoping this phase ends very quickly, because we're not sure how long we can take this.

Today, however, was a great day and nearly made up for last night. As the photo shows, he is now able to hold his head up and look around a bit while on his tummy. He also went on a car ride without crying (YAY!), and while I sat and had a cup of hot cocoa, he hung out in his car seat and actually played with his beloved cube. He was holding it, shaking it, chewing on it - pretty much enjoying his whole repertoire of activities. He was very cute. Unfortunately, no photos of the great event because the camera was at home - doh!

Tomorrow, I'll be back at work again and fear that my new lack of sleep may be a bit more difficult to deal with than it is when I'm hanging out with Connor. After all, he doesn't mind when I repeat myself and his books are pretty easy to read. Guess only time will tell. Cross your fingers for me that he sleeps at least a little bit longer tonight.

Elaine

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving

We're back in DC - and I can happily report that Connor was a champ on all of our flights. Connor got to enjoy the pleasure of rocking with Pappy from 5:00 - 5:30 one morning (thank you Dad!) after I fed him. The night before, the greatest miracle happened. I fed Connor, dropped him back in his bed, and then he woke up, but fell back to sleep! This skill was immediately forgotten the next day, which is why Connor got to enjoy the rocking chair. The photo above was taken earlier in the day when my dad and all of his grandkids were enjoying said chair.



Ed and I got a taste of what it's like to have older children when hanging out with my sister's kids. If you ever wondered why Ed had a slight preference for a boy, I think this photo clears it all up. (Emily is in the photo, Anna was the photographer.) Later that night, Ed got to enjoy two birthday cakes made in the Easy Bake oven by Anna and Emily the night before. He shared with everyone else and they were delicious! We think Anna and Emily should keep the cakes coming and hope they make one for Connor's birthday in August when he will finally get to know the joy of chocolate. Did I mention what a tragedy I think it is that he has to wait this long to eat my favorite food?


And man, Connor, you have become the drooling champion - taking our old game of spit bubble to a whole new level! It's really quite impressive. Don't worry though, your grandparents still adore you as much as they always have. I have to tell you though, that your late night antics aren't gaining you any friends in this household. Your dad, was a little annoyed one night when he walked around with you for an hour and you wouldn't go to sleep even though you had just had an enormous meal with Mims. Luckily, you went to sleep almost immediately when I took over so you were still tops in my book. Of course, it would be premature for me to claim victory since that pattern was reversed tonight when Daddy had to step in to get you to sleep after I had been trying for about an hour. It's true...as soon as we think we have you figured out, you change. That's what keeps life interesting, I suppose. And don't worry, both your dad and I still think you are the cutest little guy ever and can't wait to see what you suprise us with each day.

Elaine

Ahhh..Home Sweet Home

We made it to my childhood home yesterday. Photos from Miami and a post about the fabulous CORAL CASTLE will be available when I return to DC and post them. For now, thought I would announce that he has officially outgrown some of his 0-3 month clothes. This was a bit inconvenient, since we are out of town, but we have enough clothes that fit to make it.


During our trip to Miami, Connor learned to announce his displeasure about the four-wheeled torture chamber VERY LOUDLY. (For those of you not restrained in seats, this vehicle is known as a car!) On the way from the airport to my sister's house, Connor showed that he could cry for 45 minutes without backing down. Luckily, once he cried enough he was magically removed from the car seat - either that or we actually arrived at my sister's house. In any case, all was forgiven as he started smiling and cooing as soon as the car stopped and he was released from his seat.

His cousin Anna held him for quite some time yesterday, and she even coaxed many smiles and coos out of Connor. His cousin Emily will have duty tonight.


Finally, he enjoyed hanging out in the swing for a bit as he pondered the dog.

Miami

We're in Miami! After having lunch at Gump's restaurant, we walked on the beach and attempted to visit Parrot Island. Unfortunately, this attraction has been closed since Hurricane Wilma came through. We almost got to enjoy a private viewing of Parrot Island because the gates were open and we started to walk in. Someone who worked there called out across the courtyard we had just crossed to see what we were doing, and then informed us that the island was closed. Bummer! We walked around South Beach and checked out the art deco buildings which were pretty cool.

Today, we were ready to do some serious sightseeing, so drove quite a ways to a national park - only to find out that the boat rides that normally take place weren't happening because they are preparing for Tropical Storm Gamma. We walked around a bit, but didn't get to see a whole lot. The cruddy thing is that the drive was nearly unbearable, as Connor has decided that his mild aversion to the car is now a serious aversion. The kid can cry for about an hour - at which point we stopped the car because we had arrived. At one point, I looked up to see Ed covering his ears at a stoplight, while I tried to get Connor interested in his pacifier (which he is still unimpressed with) or anything else. AUGH! The super unfortunate thing is that in his little mind, Connor may have decided that his crying is what caused us to stop the four wheeled torture chamber, not the fact that we had arrived at our destination.


We then got back in the car and went to Coral Castle - which I swear in the tourist info sounded interesting. It, in fact, is possibly the worst tourist attraction ever. Some goofy guy carved a "castle" out of coral, and now the pieces of it are on display with this guy's recorded voice telling you to dream big and someday you too could do something really fabulous like he did. I can hardly believe Ed and I paid to see it. The best part was probably the gift shop. Here, they had little keyrings that coordinated to birthdays and held info about important events that happened on your birthday. Unlike the usual fare which I presume would have something uplifting, these were remarkably unpleasant. For example, on my birthday Pope John Paul II was shot (who knew) and Connor's birthday held the fact that some animal became extinct. Ed's was a bit different. On his birth date, capitol punishment in England was ended and JFK was elected president. I suspect Ed will never allow me to suggest a tourist attraction again. We were going to visit a monastery, but the beach was closer and frankly, none of us could take another moment in the car with Connor. Really, Connor, I love you - but you're making me completely insane. I hope you learn to like the car soon - or at least keep quiet about your dislike so that everyone else's ride isn't made so unpleasant.


Elaine

Flying

Connor took his first flight today. And thankfully, all was well. He ate a little, played a little, and slept a little. I was pretty happy that Ed and I were seated together because when Connor was eating, he was laying down and kicking pretty good, and his legs are just long enough to reach the person in the seat next to him.

After the flight, we waited for our luggage for a long time (that's what the photo shows), and then we all went to the hotel, grabbed dinner at a neighborhood restaurant, and at 9:30, passed out. It was clearly an exhausting day. Connor skipped his midnight feeding (thank you!), and didn't get Ed up too early so Ed was able to sound intelligent when he was talking at the conference (or so other attendees reported).

Earlier in the day, Connor tried on a sweater I made for him. It's still a bit too big - which is better than discovering it's too small.



Also, we tried on the hat that Aunt Linda sent to Connor when she found out I was pregnant. She also sent a pair of socks, presuming that if he had a hat and socks, everything would be fine. As you can see, Connor is totally ready for the beach!


Elaine

Order Restored

Well, it's back to days with Mom for Connor. He survived Thursday, Friday, and then Monday and Tuesday with Dad. All appeared to go well. In fact, the photo above is me trying to capture the smug look on Ed's face as he announced he got Connor to sleep.

Big things have been happening here. Last night, Connor spent the whole night in his own bed - which means although I got up a few times with him, he wasn't nested in my armpit the whole night so that my sleep was much sounder. What is it about my armpit? I have no idea, but even though he has no ability to move during the day, he can inch his way about a foot away from me to my armpit so that he can snuggle up there and sleep when he's next to me in bed. I'm happy to report that he does not have this same affinity for Ed's armpit - and frankly I agree with him. Anyway, he didn't seem to mind sleeping in his own bed, but I sort of missed the little guy. I know - complain about him being in the bed, be sad about him being out of the bed. Can't win sometimes.



Connor's enjoying pulling up with assistance to a sitting position, and then sometimes springing up to a supported standing position. It's unbelievably cute - and I know all parents say that about their kid, but it's TOTALLY TRUE with mine!

We went to Mommy and Me yoga today and about halfway through the class he sucked on my finger and totally passed out on his mat. I felt really bad disturbing his sleep when class ended. He seemed to get over it.

Connor is also trying to figure out what I'm doing when I put that colorful stuff in my mouth. Two nights ago he watched me eat a meal very intent on figuring out what was going on. I told him that eating worked better when one had teeth, but his eyes seemed to indicate he was ready to go for it. Of course, it'll be at least another month before he sees solid food and up to three more months. Hopefully his studies will pay off for him when the time comes.

We're getting on a plane bound for Miami tomorrow. Ed is attending a work conference and I couldn't resist the opportunity to take Connor to the beach.

Elaine

Like mother, like son...thank you NFL

Ahhh...there's nothing like a Sunday full of football games to get one's nap schedule back on track. Ed may find a jog on the trail near our house the best way to spend the afternoon, but I prefer a nice nap while "watching" football. Connor, apparently agrees with me as he lies precariously perched on his boppy watching football with his eyes shut. This is actually a skill that's been passed down for at least another generation in my family as I often remember my dad paying attention to football this way. We haven't taught Connor how to use the remote yet, but I think he is developing my love for the Chiefs. Connor may look like his daddy, but he's rooting for his mama's teams if he's a smart man. (Sorry about rooting for so many bad teams, Connor. But it builds character!)

Last night, Connor continued celebrating his birthday by awakening around 3:00 to a very impressive fart (that's my boy!), and then deciding to eat and talk to me for about a half hour after he finished eating, at which point I told him to just go to sleep, which woke up Ed. Ed then walked around with Connor from 4:00 - 4:45 am, with Connor staring up at him with those bright, very awake eyes he has. At 4:45, Connor finally went back to sleep, only to wake up instantly upon hitting the sheets next to me. He looked at me and smiled, which caused me to laugh and Ed to remark that Connor was not making any friends being awake at this time of day. Connor then ate again and FINALLY went back to sleep. He then dozed until mid-morning and is in the midst of his second long nap for the day as I write. Thank you NFL.



And...after his morning nap, a big "I told you so" from me. See, Connor, you are a much more pleasant guy when you SLEEP! And frankly, your dad and I are much more pleasant people too.

Hope your football teams did better than mine did today.

Elaine

Happy Three Month Birthday!

Dear Connor,

Today, you are three months old. That means you have been living outside of my body for 92 days - and I assure you I can hardly recall what it was like before you came. That's the beauty of learning how to get along with a minimum amount of sleep and having my heart find out how much it's possible to love someone. My brain functions at a minimum necessary level from the sleep deprivation and my emotional state is one that focuses on what a great person you are. The other day, I even heard myself telling a friend how childbirth was easy - at which point Ed looked at me like I had gone completely insane. I guess that's something else a mom's body does as soon as possible - forget the pain it takes to bring babies into the world. By the way - it's painful, though in my case is didn't last too long. And hey, I was at home surrounded by love.

You celebrated this 3 month milestone by abstaining from naps today, despite near heroic efforts on the part of your dad and me. Finally, I slept with you, but even then you only made it about an hour. At present, I'm attempting to nurse you to sleep which usually doesn't take that long, but who knows when you will finally drop tonight. I guess this is what everyone was talking about when they said that much of parenting was two steps forward, one step back. Hopefully tomorrow you will remember how you are a much happier baby when you sleep!

You've learned to make a new sound - it's a high pitched squeal (not associated with pleasure) that your dad told me about but I didn't actually believe until tonight. Wow - that'll get attention every time. Your dad also claims you winked at him today, but I'm not sure I believe this either. You have also started pooping on a daily basis - which is OK, but frankly your dad and I were getting used to and enjoying your 6 day cycle that you have been on since week 4 when Mims and Pappy came to visit and I couldn't believe that you didn't poop for a whole week. Both pediatricians in the practice we go to assured me this was normal, as does the Baby Handbook that Heather sent me. But still, once a week? But I guess all good things come to an end because you've pooped daily for 4 days now. Still better than the babies who poop after or during every feeding, but the 6 day pattern was great once I stopped worrying about it.

Today's photo shows those hands of yours. When you couldn't get your own fingers into your mouth earlier today, you pulled my thumb in. You seemed to enjoy sucking on it for a while. And hey, I thought it might inspire you to sleep so I didn't mind it. No such luck, but it was worth a try.

We tried the stroller out again today, but you still prefer to be carried. And, this doesn't seem too irrational to me since you're stuck looking at the sides of the stroller laying on your back until you're big enough to sit upright in it. Maybe next month...

You're drifting off to sleep now, so hopefully you'll sleep once I drop you in bed.

Love,
Mom

Happy (belated) Birthday Ed and check out those hands!

Ed celebrated his 36th birthday on Wednesday, and Connor celebrated by becoming entranced with his hands. You wouldn't believe how cool those little things are. They go flying by his face and when he gets them to stop, they almost always warrant a smile or at least a little bit of study. This morning, he was able to free one of them from the swaddle blanket and because it was still somewhat restricted, it was easy for him to get his fingers in his mouth to suck on them. I suspect this was his birthday present to Ed since previously he spent a good deal of time sucking on Ed's fingers for comfort. While a bit inconvenient for feeding, it was still tremendously cute to see him get his index finger in his mouth over and over and suck fairly vigorously. Hopefully I'll catch this act on film this evening and update this post with a photo.

In other news, we went out to dinner last night to celebrate the wedding of our friends Biz and Amelia which took place over one year ago. Connor actually did fine in the bar for drinks before dinner (napping in the Baby Bjorn on Ed), and then enjoyed a healty snack while we started to eat dinner, but then being over the pizza oven became a bit unbearable when coupled with the very warm outfit Ed dressed him in because it was cold outside. Ed cut dinner short a tad and took Connor outside where the temperature was much more to their liking. They got to see the Chinatown Express Bus unload (goes from DC's Chinatown, to Silver Spring's Chinatown, to Manhattan's Chinatown). DC's Chinatown, though small, provided lots of amusement for Connor - I suspect because of all those pretty lights.

Elaine

Voting

Today we voted for a new Governor. There are two fairly unique things about governors here. First, as soon as the governor is elected, he will become a lame duck because one term limit. Smart, eh? Second, we elect governors in odd years, I guess because we like the idea of having incredibly low voter turn out. Connor received two "future voter" stickers, and the governor candidate we voted for won (and I can rarely say that candidates I voted for won, so this is pretty exciting). Maybe Connor is good luck. However, as of this writing, the Lieutenant Governor has still not been decided, and we could have a situation with a democrat governor and a republican lieutenant. Nice, eh?

Amazing things Connor can do as of the past few days: bat at toys, smile in response to a smile, stick his tongue out in response to someone sticking their tongue out at him (thanks Ed, for teaching him this one), hold his head pretty still - though I wouldn't rate it perfect head control just yet.

Two images for today's post. One where he's hanging out in the laundry basket while I transfer his wet clothes from the washer to the dryer - one where he's hanging out on the couch and looking pretty big.

Elaine

Back to work for me...days with Dad

Well, tomorrow I will spend my first full day back at the office, which means Connor and I will be separated for the whole day and Ed will be taking charge for the whole day. Hopefully everyone will be OK at the end of the day. From the looks of the photo above, Connor and Ed should have no trouble.

Today we spent most of the afternoon trying to figure out how to take a nap without me being next to Connor - a regular feature of our afternoons these days. Not that I mind the sleep, but he'll need to be a bit more independent once Olimpia is with him, starting the middle of January.

First illness?

Im not sure about this, but Connor may be trying to shake his first cold. Last night, he went to sleep around 10:00 and except for a few small stirs and needing some hugs at 4AM,I didn't hear from him until 7AM this morning. He's been asleep for much of the day, in my arms as I type this. It's out of character for Connor to take such long naps, and outside of eating and sleeping, he's been pretty grumpy. He does not appear to have a fever - so hopefully this is something small that will pass quickly. I;ve felt under the weather as well, so it wouldn't surprise me if that's how he felt. Bummer!

The photo is from a few days ago. Check out that head control!
Elaine

Happy Halloween!

Hi All,

Just in case you wondered if Ed could be convinced to do strange things that he probably would've avoided before becoming a sleep deprived daddy, the photo above should do it. His mom gave Connor the bee suit, and our friend Dan D. had the two adult sized bee suits. Connor and I plan to march in the neighborhood parade later this afternoon, but Ed does have some dignity left and refuses to be seen outside the home in his costume.

Today I am heading up to my office to get my annual flu shot (which became an annual event after I had the flu in 2001!). This means Connor will once more get to enjoy the glare of flourescent lights, which Ed tells him he might as well get used to. Yesterday, we went to a friend's Halloween party and open house and the evening before we celebrated the indictment of Liddy with some other friends. Connor seemed to enjoy both events at times, but also seems to be a little overwhelmed when there are lots of people around. Last night, he actually sucked on his pacifier for quite some time, which was a relief to me as it meant I was no longer the human pacifier! I'm sure when Connor has terrible teeth and traces them back to pacifier use, Ed and I will regret teaching him this new skill, but for now we're pretty excited.

Enjoy the trick-or-treating!
Elaine

Goodbye Mims!

Mims left to go back home today. We had a great visit with her. I can happily report that the house is back in order, and I enjoyed a long, guilt free shower each morning she was here. Ed and I even went out on a date without Connor (oh my) while my mom took charge last night. They both were able to eat dinner (something Ed and I could barely accomplish the first few weeks Connor was home) and Connor enjoyed a few naps. Ed and I thoroughly enjoyed dinner and I only called my mom once to make sure everything was going OK - just in case you wondered if I was a worry-wart parent.

During her visit, my mom probably did enough squats (aka "Divine Drops" in the Itsy Bitsy Yoga book) to get her out of needing to do exercise for a few weeks, since that seems to be the thing that calms Connor these days (when he's neither hungry nor has a stinky diaper). She must have some sort of magic touch because the first night she was here, Connor went to bed at 11:30 and didn't wake again until 7:30. It's hard to keep up with her, I guess.

Connor is developing more personality each day. He's dishing out smiles pretty regularly and almost has control of that giant head of his. He can hang out independently now for a bit, and takes a morning nap in his own bed - a real accomplishment in this house.

Above is one of his two Halloween costumes. You can view the other one on Halloween. Connor and I plan to march in the neighborhood parade on Monday, or at least go out and watch the other kids in the neighborhood. Tomorrow, we're going to our second Mom and Baby Yoga class. My tight back is already looking forward to it.

Elaine

A visit with Mims!

My mom showed up yesterday to put the house back in order. Unfortunately, the weather changed so Connor was not as chipper as he had been the previous days. Luckily, my mom doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she's flying solo with Connor tomorrow night when Ed and I go on a DATE for Ed's birthday (which isn't until next month, but it'll be fun to celebrate early). We're working on calling her Mims so we'll have Mims and Pappy on my side and Grandma and Grandpa on Ed's side.

Connor is getting so big, that he even sleeps in his own bed for naps - on occasion. He used to just sleep in my arms, so this is a big step. This morning's nap was interrupted twice by packages being delivered, but right now all seems to be going well. It must be my mom's magic presence.

Many thanks to Kellee and Jim for the very cool gifts from China! You'll see photos this summer of my little peanut in his linen outfit that looks totally fabulous. I've also been enjoying the jasmine tea - which was needed yesterday since there was a bit more crying than normal.

The big news around here is that we may have found a nanny for Connor. She has raised eight children, worked in daycares, and worked as a private nanny. Frankly, her experience with children far outshines mine. When she met Connor she went to him so lovingly and gently that I know they'll have a good time. She'll start work sometime in January, after she returns from a trip to Peru.

Elaine

Ouch!

Yesterday, Connor and Ed went to the doctor for Connor's two month check-up and vaccinations. Can I just say that avoiding the appointment so I didn't have to hear Connor cry when he got the shots was nothing compared to the dose of screaming I got after the Motrin wore off. He cried inconsolably for 20 minutes, at which point he passed out. I called the pediatrician during this bout of crying because NEVER has Connor done this before. The pediatrician's office was busy, so I called the next best thing, another mom of a newborn. She read to me from the baby owner's manual (which I have but was so distracted and distressed by the crying that I never thought about looking at it), and ultimately we decided that the shots could indeed be causing this trauma. The pediatrician then called back and told me this was normal and OK'd giving Connor more Motrin (amen!), which we have continued to give him today on the advice of my sister.

On the bright side, Connor weighed in at 10 pounds, which is not exactly accurate since Ed reported that Connor had a wet diaper and clothes on - but hey, when you've fallen off the growth chart, you need every advantage your daddy can give you. He's almost two feet tall, or should I say, long (since tall seems to imply an upright position which Connor has yet to attain). This puts him in the 50th percentile for length and his head is also in the 50th percentile - woohoo!

Today Connor went to a postpartum yoga class with me and he made an adorable yogi. He started class off sleeping, woke up during the class and entertained himself by staring at one of his favorite toys (a Lamaze Cube) and then got restless at about the time the rest of the class babies got restless at which time he did yoga with me. Yoga definitely agrees with him. I wonder if I'll be able to convince Ed to take him to yoga on Fridays in November and December when I'm back at work?

The photo above was taken yesterday.

Elaine

Bath Time!

Every few days, Connor and Dad get in the tub together to clean up. Ed bathes more regularly than this, but Connor has yet to discover the joy of splashing water everywhere, so bath is more a neutral experience for him than a fun experience. On the suggestion of my friend Lisa, who got the suggestion from her mom, Connor bathes on a big sponge that has made the process significantly easier for Ed and seems to help Connor feel more secure. That's him above!

Tomorrow, I'm heading to the pottery studio while Ed and Connor head to the pediatrician for his two month check-up. Apparently Connor is getting a bundle of immunizations which means I'll be nowhere near the office. Hopefully Connor won't be in a crummy mood following the shots, but I'll understand if he is.

Elaine

Take Two...

Hi All,

Looks like I'm worse at maintaining a blog than I thought I would be - and my standards were pretty low. However, I'm going to try this one more time. Here's where you can now check in to see how fabulous my peanut is!

Today we went to the movies for the first time and saw Elizabethtown. with a group called "reel moms". Basically, you're free to bring your quiet or not so quiet kiddo to the movies and enjoy! Connor must have found the event quite exciting because he couldn't even muster the energy to really throw a good protest at being placed in the carseat (one of his least favorite places) when we left the movie. He didn't even scream all the way out of the garage. He's still sleeping in his hated carseat enjoying some fresh air while I set this up.

Last weekend, Connor's grandparents (Dad's side) came to visit and the weekend before that his Aunt Linda and cousins Anna and Emily were here. (Uncle Bill had been here earlier in the week for a conference.) His grandparents from my side had been out when he was three weeks old - and Grandma Carlene is making her second trip next Monday! I am definitely looking forward to the visit - and I'm sure Connor will enjoy it too (even though Grandma is going to try and get him to sleep independently).