Life At The Zoo

Puffs & Flus

Erica — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:36:49 +0000

I think when I buy stock I might buy some in Beech Nut. Purely for the Table Time Sweet Potato Puffs. My little boy has been sick since Thursday night, and for the first time since (it’s Saturday afternoon) is finally quiet and content. Sitting in his high chair, feeding himself aforementioned puffs. In his diaper, with a heat rash and funky hair from the sweat and the Vicks, his face slowly starting to regain some colour other then the blueish tinge that grew beneath his eyes as he lost sleep the past few nights. Thursday night he came home from Grandma’s, and she said “he had a real cough” – this opposed to the little funny throat clearing sound he makes when he hears us cough. We got him home at 10.30 and he woke up, and all hell broke loose. Fever, crying, tossing and turning, finally we took him into the hospital at 3am. Fever was gone already, no infection, and by the time we finally saw the Dr at 5.30am he had started to settle. At least until the stethoscope came out.

Just a flu. And teething. All at once. No good. Who knew I wouldn’t mind being up at 6am still, just relieved he was ok? Who knew I would be ok with a permanently attached miserable baby, just praying somehow he got some comfort in between the fussing and crying and kicking me just as I started to doze off. So here we are, me in my jammies, him in his diaper, after 1 on a Saturday. No plans to go anywhere. Just glad for the realization that he’s spent the last 20 minutes happy and content with his sweet potato puffs.

mama going back to work

Erica — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:45:17 +0000

I have to leave you with a babysitter for the first time tomorrow, X, as I return to the working world. I am excited for the new opportunity for me and the responsibilities and duties I will have, and nervous about how you will react. I know you will feel worried that I am not returning, and my heart breaks thinking about that, but I also know I will come back for you. I know you will come to understand that just as I leave you with grandma & grandpa now and come back, so I will when you stay with the babysitter. I will always come home for you.

Drain plugs & slippers

Erica — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:56:52 +0000

Today I watched you, X, as you suddenly realized what the drain plug is for in the tub. Somehow suddenly, having watched the water draining, you grabbed the plug off the side of the tub and stuck it in. Then took it out, and observed as the draining continued, then back in. You were enthralled and wouldn’t let me touch the plug or help you seat it just right, because after all, you were busy doing it and didn’t need mama’s help, thank you very much.

And then I saw you notice my slippers on the floor and step cautiously on them, trying to determine how to get them on your little blue-socked feet.

Who knew seeing you discover these things would be so amazing? Who knew I would be more fascinated by watching you discover them then by anything I’ve ever seen or learned? How silly is that your every little discovery is such an amazing thing to me?

playing trains

Erica — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:27:45 +0000

X, I saw you today realizing what fun it is to crawl around, pushing a toy train in front of you, seeing where the wheels might take you. Under the highchair, and across the floor. Some moments you are so utterly “boy” and it makes me smile.

Job!

Erica — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:27:05 +0000

Mama has a job, Mama has a job!

I love my baby, but I look forward to getting back to adult conversation and work that doesn’t involve diaper changes or spit-up.

In the beginning…

Erica — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:06:46 +0000

Dear X,

As we come closer to your first birthday, I realize one day I would like to look back on these fleeting moments. When I take photos of you I can never seem to capture how tender the moments are, and I realize writing of them here will be the same. Still, I would like to capture the little bits I can.

Even in your first few days you were able to tell us just how unimpressed you were. Nurses and relatives alike were confounded by your tendency to either sleep or scream – I tried desperately to feed you in between, with more or less luck depending on the day. We later convinced your Dr, when you were 9 months old, that you had reflux and milk protein intolerance. You were given Zantac daily and switched to a special formula, and were much happier within a day or two. I never knew I could love someone so much and still feel so completely inept to love them as they needed. At that appointment I realized you didn’t really hate me. Our relationship has grown from there.

Meanwhile, you’ve managed to hit your milestones more or less on time. You began crawling at 6 1/2 months. We moved to a new home about that time. One night you were rocking back and forth on your hands and knees, and the next day you started crawling as if it was easy. That same day you started pulling up on furniture to stand. There were a few days in there that I wanted to tape you down – you learned to stand, but you hadn’t yet learned to get down without falling back on your head.

You began walking at 9 1/2 months. Now you are 11 1/2 months and you run and climb. Your first tooth came on the bottom, when you were 10 months old, and then recently we saw the second and third coming down from the top. The next day your fourth and fifth on top were just under the gum, and the next your 6th was seen cutting at the bottom.

At 10 months you started calling the “kitty” – the only creature within earshot who refuses to come near you. You have been saying “dada” for months. Within the past month you’ve learned to clap, wave, use the remote control for the TV instead of just stealing it to chew on, and finally to say “mama” as often as you say “dada”. Today’s word is “uh oh”. Your hair still manages to be strawberry blond, although you have mama’s dark brown eyes, and the slight build both your parents had when they were little. You would probably weigh more if you weren’t so busy – but that might involve less running back and forth or hopping, neither of which you would stop I’m sure. You yell back at the dryer when the timer goes off to say laundry is done, and sing as I vaccuum just to hear your own voice.

Meanwhile, we are currently in the process of adopting your cousin – a two year old boy who we look forward to meeting and loving soon. You don’t understand yet, but I am sure you will come to feel he is your brother, and one day appreciate the relationship you will have together. We’re sure you will love having another little boy to play with, so much so that you’ll come to realize Mama & Daddy can love you just as much while loving him too.