Breakfast-time Helper

Evie offered to help Max with his bottle while I grab another cup-o-joe.
I love how they both look guilty.
Maybe I just take too many photos.

Max - Getting into independent play

Max is currently 8.5 months old...

We have a cheapo, Shaker-style coffee table that I outfitted with wicker baskets a long time ago. They originally held magazines (when we had no kids), then princess gear & party favor trinkets (of Evie's) and now they are all Max-friendly (aka: edible plastic & rubber baby toys).
Looking for just the right toy.


Check-out this "sit" style. I don't think I'm this limber.


Max is getting good at understanding how to access the bucket of toys, too.

Back to exploring the coffee table baskets. Max is very good at sliding these out and making a selection... or, rather, a scattered mess of baby toys all over the living room floor.

Tasty!

Big sister's first taunting of her little brother

Max, in very recent days (maybe in the last 3 days to be precise) has begun crawling on all 4's. He's becioming quite mobile when there's something he wants, otherwise, he is still rather content to sit and explore all the plastic toys available around him.
He has taken to the wicker bins of toys I keep under the coffee table. Favorite toy on this particular day was a soft, faux leather ball advertising the Pittsburgh Pengiuns. Max gnawed on it until it slipped out of his spitty grasp. He slowly switched from a seated to a crawling position. He got down on his belly and reached as far as he could under the easy chair Evie was sitting in playing her video game.
Evie let her foot dangle over the side onto Max's head as he struggled to retrieve his ball.
"What's that on your head Max? Huh? What is that on your head?" she rubbed his hair into a twist with her sock-covered foot, "What's on your head, Max?"

Giggle Toes: Dance Performance for Parents

We joined The Little Gym's "Giggle Toes" class late. They started in early September but we didn't get in on the action until the beginning of this past December. Again, I wanted to make sure Evie would not only talk (be engaged with fellow classmates) but also participate this time. She has! Bravo! And here's the proof - tonight they did a quick 1 minute 'performance' of both their newly acquired tap dance skills and ballet skills. They then danced like loons over some silly songs before heading into the gymnasium portion of the night (balance beam, high bars, crab walks, etc).
The night was capped with a brief award and ribbon for having the most fun in class!

Tap:


Ballet:

Evie & sharing at the right time

Evie doesn't listen. I yell at her, constantly, repeating myself endlessly hoping something will eventually seep in. She retains little due to not paying attention and she talks loudly...constantly.

Just when I thought all hope was lost on her (the frustrations I have had with her lately seem to be reaching a crescendo), she demonstrated how sweet she is. She sought me out, in my bedroom, and handed me a green colored Mike & Ike candy from the small bowl I gave her after dinner. She shared her favorite (on her own accord), smiled and walked off just at the best moment possible. Not all hope is lost...

Eye test: checking one, two, three...

So Evie had an eye test performed at her pre-K school this past September. The results revealed that she did not pass the cornea test (I honestly couldn't make heads or tails of the results they sent home with her. All it was was a b&w photo of her eyes up close with a bunch of small green dots in the center of one eye and small red dots in the other. I assumed the red dots was on the eye that flunked).
I didn't race to the eye doctor after getting these results mid-October but, rather, dawdled until mid-December.
Turns out my eye doctors doesn't see anyone under the age of 5... And, at this point, I'm still contemplating the seriousness of this test considering Evie passed her 4 year old check-up eye test (through her pediatrician) just 6 months prior... My eye doctor gives me the contact info for the Eye Institute. I call, and to fast forward a bit, the secretary makes me a little stressed with her comment about not being able to get me in until mid-December... But she'll call if something earlier comes up. I thought, "Do I NEED to get in earlier?!"
I took a half-day off of work, pulled Evie out of school early and away we went for her eye test.
The assistant made Evie put on 3D glasses and point to circles that popped out before her eyes, wear a patch over each eye to read a chart and look at colored lights & flashing lights before sending in the actual doctor. My favorite part? The assistant asks Evie to read an eye chart... "D-V-O-S-C," she confidentially replies. The assistant looks hesitant. I tell her, "You didn't tell her what order to read the letters..." the assistant walks to the wall and points to each letter left-to-right, Evie replies, "D-O-S-V-C."
Oh Evie...
Fast forward to the end - her eye sight is so good she doesn't need to return to an eye doctor for at least 5 years. In fact, he added, if they continue being THIS good... She won't need eye care till about age 43. I rejoice. I then add, so why the flunked test? Turns out, they crank up the warning levels on the freebie tests at the school just for liability reasons. And Evie flunking? Her eyes are crooked! The doctor looks at me, "Like yours," he adds,"Only yours are opposite."
Huh, go figure...

Max - 8 Months Old

Whew! I must say this at every month's post, but really? Time flies...

Highlights ('cause, let's be frank, I no longer have time for much else):
• Eating solids
• Recognize your name when called
• Smiles "on cue" for the camera
• Celebrated first Christmas (and New Year!)
• Scoot/crawling more
• Moved up to a bath seat
• First yucky cold
• Pulling self up to standing position (OK, to be fair, that happened for the very first time ever, tonight!)

What can I say about your 8th month? I should have written this all down while it was happening, alas... life was worth living I s'pose.

We started giving you "solids". Well, let me clarify. I was eating a slice of cold ham leftover from Christmas dinner and you had this look in your eye. I broke off the SMALLEST PIECES I could physically cut with my finger nails... and fed them to you as you rocked with delight on your knees atop my bed. I watched your happiness and promptly fed you more. I then realized... maybe I shouldn't be doing this. You threw it all up not too much later. Lesson learned? Yes: You are not ready for ham but you are ready for solids. We bought you Gerber's Puffs within the week.
You were terrible with puffs at first - all kids are. You have the dexterity with your pincher-like grip... but where you lack is on the release. After you grab your puff, if it started to slide (in a drool path) toward the center of your first, it's all over. You didn't know how to open your hand to then lick it off your palm. Instead, you'd go back for another. I'd say, out of 10 puffs: 6 would be on the floor, 3 stuck inside the palm of your hand and 1 would make it in your mouth. And, even that 1 in your mouth wouldn't stay in your mouth for long. You'd suck in your lower lip thus spitting the puff out onto your chin.
Fast forward only 2 weeks later - you can get almost everything in your mouth (and quickly)! You are so good at this now, we've progressed to Gerber's Wheel Snacks, Gerber Veggie Stick Puffs, some corn and pineapple.... the corn and pineapple was a mess. Oh, how I loathe this stage of infant-into-toddler... learning to eat is so messy and you'll soon want more and more independence (case in point: you've started grabbing the spoon when daddy feeds you!).

You've had a heckuva time with pooping lately. I won't go too much into this topic but, boy-oh-boy... you spend many days constipated. Daddy and I try everything. You seemed like you were getting on a schedule and yet... we just can't predict when you're going to have a "not-so-successful bowel movement kind of day" since they happen so frequently but irregularly. Dad and I are hoping solid foods will help this out a wee bit.

We moved you up out of the baby bathtub! Baby tubs are so ridiculous considering the very spot I need to clean (your butt!) is what you are sitting on... well, laying down on. I dug Evie's old bath seat (it's a seat with an arm that anchors around the edge of the tub).

You had your first Christmas! Santa brought you a teddy bear (that's what Evie told Santa you wanted... funny, you haven't seemed to want that at all. I don't think Evie knows you very well at all). You didn't really open gifts. You became too hung up on eating the paper so we opened things for you. You seemed quite content with just taking it all in. Again, you enjoy chaos and hectic scenes so you were in your element on Christmas morning.
I did get one final afternoon of you wearing your Christmas sweater. You can actually see it in these photos, yippee! Just look at you all sprawled out on the floor after we cleaned up the holiday wrap. You self-entertain so well... it truly is one of your best qualities...



We sent Evie down to North Carolina with Pop-pop and Lala the day after Christmas. The day after that, the 27th, Daddy was going to drive down with you to join them for just a few nights. I would use the time "off" to take down the Christmas tree, stockings and other various holiday glee. The 27th was a rather fitfull day for you... but nightfall you were aggressive and fussy when held but would cry when put down. You wore my nerves thin. We knew it was your teeth and yet... its still really challenging to remain understanding when there's absolutely nothing you can do as a parent. Reasoning with you on why chewing that hard plastic toy will just make your gums hurt more doesn't work... nor does telling you to "sit still" while I apply this Baby Orajel. By 7 PM I was ready for you and daddy to leave. You slept the whole way there.
At 11PM daddy called to say you had arrived. He also noted you seemed to be sleeping in your crib with your eyes open. This worried me - I knew you were not asleep.
At 1AM your daddy called, quite stressed-out, that you would not sleep and cried endlessly if laid down. It was horrible. I couldn't help, daddy couldn't sleep, and you were suffering.
The next day, dad called to tell me that you fell asleep in his arms while we spoke on the phone but that you then awoke again when he tried to put you down. Finally, at 2:30AM, both exhausted, you rested in bed with dad as he lay atop the bed (cold with no covers!)next to you. By 6:30AM, you were up again.
The 28th was a day filled with everyone tired and taking turns caring for you. By nightfall, when dad put you down for the night... you screamed in protest. He swept you up, loaded up the car and called me to tell me he was driving home at 8:30PM. I emailed my office that I would not be in the next day and I went to bed at 9PM preparing for your arrival. At 11PM you showed up and went to bed... without a peep! You slept all night! We were both relieved and ready to get back to a state of normal. Whatever THAT is...
Those teeth? Yes, all 4 are successfully in.

You ended this month with a really yucky cold. It started a week after New Year's Eve and last about a week. You were stuffy and a slimy face from rubbing your nose. You cheeks grew bright red with chaffing and your disposition was a little less happy. You remained, overall, a rather OK sick kid. We didn't take you to the doctor and gave you a few shots of Motrin. I'd wake up through the night helping you locate your pacifier. Overall, you just appeared more yucky than I think you truly felt. It didn't turn into a hacking cough and no one else caught it - for that, I am grateful!


You flap your arms wildly when you are delighted.

This past month seems to be one filled with many more firsts (solids, starting to scoot/crawl, confidentially sitting up for longer stretches of time, recognizing your name) and one where you seem to have thinned out & grew taller.
I predict your ninth will leave us:
1. questioning how much longer we can keep you in your car carrier (it's so amazing how you really do not mind being in it when most kids fuss and fight it. But the straps? They no longer fit over your shoulders at all.)
2. a month where you eat more (especially with being "on the go!" crawling)
3. you'll have Evie in tears (when you start changing the rules regarding where she keeps her tiny toys within your grasp)
4. you'll start cruising
5. you'll move into stage 3 foods (and maybe completely away from puree's?).
Things are happening faster with you, Max. It's both great (I remember watching and desperately waiting for Evie to hit these milestones that you see to fly through without me even noticing) and sad (I saw the cutest baby boy outfit the other day in a size you can no longer wear). You really are one super sweet baby boy, Max. I love watching how different you are from you sister. It's so neat to see how different, and yet very complimentary, your two personalities are.

Happy New Year!

T-E-E-T-H

Max is 33 weeks old.

So, Max's bottom two teeth are still rising up and are definitely evident when he smiles.
Meanwhile, check out the upper deck.
This kid has the top 4, yes FOUR, teeth coming in.
Max will have 6 teeth all within 1 month's time. And, 6 teeth by the age of 8 months.
Poor kid.

Christmas Day... Eve

Overhearing Evie as she marched off to brush her teeth with dad, "But why do I still have to be good?"

Christmas Eve

Things just got a whole lot more exciting around here today:

Max's first sit-up bath

Max is 31.5 weeks old.
Max's initial reaction sitting in his tub seat was a slow wave of his foot underwater. When I asked him what he thought of his new bathtub (experience), he looked up at me and grinned. He likes it.


I remember not being able to style Evie's hair for a long time due to her not having any. Not in Max's case.

This new tub seat gives Max more control to do exciting bathtime activities... like grab his wiener more easily *sigh*

"What?"


This is not a great photo (due to the "deer-in-headlights" effect from the flash... but it really shows the color of Max's eyes). Aren't they incredible? I really hope he keeps them, these eyes coupled with his dimples just make him such a complete and adorable package...

Catch me if you can...

Grandma Ullman bought us a "Gingerbread Man" kit which was basically just a storage tin, cookie cut-out and recipe.
I added a few other shapes (star and Christmas tree) to keep it interesting.
We invited over D to help decorate.
I knew this activity would have about 20 minutes (max) of entertainment value.... but was still a little surprised that after maybe 5 cookies each, they were over it. Oh well, more for me to decorate...

Kids and Technology

I treated the family to a new iPad after receiving a surprise Christmas Bonus this year.
It didn't take long for Evie to not only figure things out... but to be addicted to the "games," as well.

Evie "coloring" on the iPad.

Giggle Toes

Yeah, so, we're doing this.
Evie's been in a couple of different programs at The Little Gym. We started somewhere around the age of 1 with some "Mommy & Me" type of classes. She hated it. She either cried the entire time or wanted to be held... the entire time.
We took a break.
Around the age of 3, I tried again with a dance class (she loved to "perform" at home to the song 'Dancing Queen' which she sang, "Dancin' ween...'). She didn't like the dance class and preferred the open gym that happened in the later half of the class. So, we took about 20 classes of gym. She stood there, inactive & chewing her fingers, for the entire duration of most classes. I would have stopped but she RAVED about how much 'fun' it was each time we got in the car. I was, essentially, paying for my kid to watch other kids play.
Here we are again.... now at age 4.5. I signed her up for an hour long class (once a week) called "Giggle Toes." They do 15 minutes of tap, 15 minutes of ballet and then 30 minutes of the gym. And, most importantly, they dress like little ballerinas.
At the first class, 3 weeks ago, Evie clung to me (I could tell she was testing my waters). I looked her in the eye, "You don't talk and you don't participate... then we don't ever come back." She raised up her eyebrows and gasped through closed mouth. I then watched through the window to see my tiny dancer cutting up a rug. We decided to join for the year... deja vu...
At the end of the first night, they LITERALLY had to fool Evie to run outside and locked the door behind her. She was that into it and into interacting with all the teachers.
Thatta girl.

Tasty Shoes... Nom, Nom, Nom

Max - 7 Months Old

Max meets Santa Claus this year!
(He didn't know what to ask for so Evie suggested a teddy bear when Santa asked).


Sounds: Max started saying "Ma-ma-ma-ma" while in Ohio for Thanksgiving break. Up until this point he would just screech, make an "ahh!" sound (both of satisfaction to himself and as if it meant "hello!" from acres the room) or blow raspberries. Max's raspberries are a rather awesome sound - they are perfect. He sounds as if he's a well-versed raspberry enthusiast. Just watch out when he gets going during breakfast feeding time... you might end up with pureed peaches in your eyebrows.
(sidenote: baby food peaches have a horrible smell... they make me gag, *bleech!*)

Choppers: Max started getting teeth! He's been drooling a lot throughout this month, so we knew something was in the works. I reached into Max's mouth while the family was out to dinner at Chipotle last week (December 5th)... I didn't expect the *chomp!* that I received! I was pointing out to Rob that I thought the lower front tooth, on our right (Max's left side of his own mouth), was due to pop out soon since his gums looked white in color... wrong! It turns out the three nubs were already poking out! We all took turns getting a bite from Max with giggles all around.
I checked Max's mouth for a closer tooth inspection the following day. What I found was this crazy little number off-to-the-side on the top part of his mouth, see my post on December 6th. I asked the dentist and he didn't seem too alarmed. Of course, the dental office added that nothing could be done about it anyway so, just watch it and see what happens. We waited.
As of today, here's what we are looking at [see photo]. The two bottom teeth are definitely up but not by much. His off-to-the-side top tooth is the one that is the most "in" right now with another front top tooth not too far behind! And, actually, front top tooth is coming in up way too high... it's no where near where it should be on the gum line. Ugh. What a mess! (I'm trying not to panic but I have to admit - am quite alarmed).



On the go (?): Max isn't really crawling yet, although, I did call Rob one night around a week ago to say he was... almost. He is starting to get up on all fours more lately. It started with him wriggle/rolling to places... not much with a purpose but just somehow ending up there. In the last 3 weeks he's been: first, much more coordinated to get up on his side and balancing... then, laying on his side evolved into getting up on one knee... and finally, this past week the one knee has been leading to him pushing off on a foot to gain some distance. So, all-in-all, Max can get up on one knee and push off ...once! He hasn't "put it all together" quite yet. I'm just glad he isn't totally discouraged or frustrated by anything so far. Not to compare, but Evie would be very upset and vocal for days leading up to her "break-through" into another milestone. I tend to notice Max's "break-throughs" less often since he seems to just do things and is rather content/unphased by when he accomplishes something. I'll be interested how these differences play out in his greater personality (like when he's in school or learning a skill/sport).


Temper: Still a rather easy-going baby (people have commented on this fact, too, so we know we aren't biased!). He seemed more frustrated when very little (under 3 months) but so far... he's still rather laid back unless one of the following occurs: diaper is too full, making a poop while sitting up, starving, tired at the end of the day and/or wants to be held (generally when tired). Max still loves "chaos". Large crowds filled with noise, talkative people and many things happening are somehow soothing to him. If not smiling throughout it all, he's totally content just sitting and watching. Case in point: I waited in line to see "Legendary Santa from 1:30PM until 3:00PM. Max stayed in his car seat... rather unattended for almost this entire time accept the last 15 minutes when he needed a change of scenery (so we held him). Again, kid is all around... easy-going.

Getting bigger: Max is certainly stretching the limits of his car carrier. The limit is 20lbs and I know he is over that by now (and if not, soon will be). Max seems to have thinned out significantly. He is getting longer but hasn't really up'ed his intake of food. Rob and I still seem to feed him the same amount of cereal/veggies/fruits as last month, which, surprises me. Max eats well but when he's full, he's full. Go figure.

Evie learns Christmas song lyrics

Evie's been watching the Peanuts special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
Shas been hearing the song at the end, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," and trying her hand at singing it. She asked about what one of the words meant... mercimeld.
I paused. I hummed the song and sang aloud: "...Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."
Evie listened a few times before singing again, "Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners wreck in style."

Evie also began this holiday season with hearing "Deck the Halls" either on the radio in the car or at home.
She wanted to know the words but couldn't remember "Deck the halls with boughs of holly," because, let's be frank, who says things like this in general conversation. I broke it down and explained that what the line means is, "Deck the hallways with holly branches."
She understood and sang back, "Dec-o-rate the halls with holly! Fa-la-la-la-la... la-la-la-la!"

Toothity-Tooth-Tooth (Max's First... Er, Second?... Tooth)

Max is 30 weeks old (or, nearly, 7 months).



During last night's dinner out at Chiptle, I noticed Max's lower front gums appearing more white on the one side. I told Rob, "Hey, it looks like he'll be getting in a tooth soon on that side [pointing to tooth #25]." I then reached in and ran my pointer finger along his smooth gums. Or, at least, that's what I started to do until he clamped down on my finger thus revealing my answer - its a tooth!
You can't really see the tooth yet but the bumpy ridges are definitely finished poking through and are sharp, sharp, sharp!
Rob reached in, "Ouch!"
In true, stupid family fashion, Evie had to have a feel, too. [Finger reaching in], *Clamp!*, "Oh! He bit me!" Evie pulls her finger back giggling.

Today, during dinner (and after Max had a rather fussy day today), I decided to reach in and see if he was getting in any top teeth yet. Evie got all 4 teeth in within a 2-week timeframe and I was curious if he'd follow her pattern. I felt the top of his gums and felt a more pronounced tooth than what I felt on the bottom. WOW! Usually kids get them on the bottom first but he must have been working on the top tooth sooner. I let him eat a frozen banana chunk and gum some cold ice packs before pulling him into the living room. I looked again - what the????
I grabbed the camera.
I pulled Max under the lamp.
Is he getting in tooth ... #10?

Road-trip Conversation with Evie

Evie has not been listening to me (asking questions again just moments after I've answered her, as well as, not responding to me when saying/shrieking/grumbling-through-gritted-teeth/commanding/yelling her name). She also zones out when doing an activity.

In the car, about 3hrs in an 8/9hr road-trip home from spending Thanksgiving in Ohio:

Me:"Can you hear it?" I ask about the DVD player behind Rob's headrest.
Evie, responding: "I'm an idiot?"

*later*
Evie:"Mom?"
Me: "Yeah."
Evie: "When are we going to be in another state?"
(Backstory: I've already answered this one by showing her on her watch and telling her it will be dark and telling her she'll be fast asleep and telling her time-based comparisons... Basically, we've covered this)
Me: "its going to be awhile, babe. It's going to be long after your movie ends (I look and see she is clearly not listening with open-mouth blank stare so I start BS'ing). Monkeys will fly out of your butt before we get to Maryland... And unicorns will fly across (I look in the backseat to see if there is any change in her reaction)the sky..."
Evie: Cross stare with frowny face. It's evident she is listening. Win one for me. I didn't hear this question again on the ride.