Operation Chubby Succeeds!

It's been awhile since I wrote, but since I have no idea if anyone besides my sister reads these, I tend to think no one's holding her breath impatiently...

Let's see here. When did I last write? Oh yes, it was the death of Bigfatbaby. I miss that kid. Well, after all $65 worth of dairy and snacks, Declan has put on a delightful 1 pound and 4 ounces. I knew he still had it in him! The doctor was a little shocked, to tell the truth. I tell you, people, when Rich and I are given a task, we do not relent until it has been achieved to the highest level. Especially when it comes to the bambino.

And, (some of you may think this is not an achievement at all, but we do, so be supportive) Declan officially slept from 6:30pm to 6:30 am last night. I think I accidentally turned the monitor off, but still! It proves that he's ready for night weaning. Hell, it doesn't matter if he's ready, I am. So starting tomorrow night, our first objective is to officially wean Dec during the night. It hasn't been that bad waking up once a night, but he'll be 10 months on Sunday.

I have no pictures from Cozumel because in Rich and I's frantic packing that included every toy Declan owns, we forgot one essential: the camera. And although Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Scott took some pictures, they didn't seem to want to follow him around night and day just to capture the cutest moments like we do. But, there are a couple of pictures, and when I do get one, I'll post.

Mexico was great. We stayed at a nice hotel, the weather, the sand, and the water were all beautiful, but traveling with a 9 month old is a little like being at a work function. You can't drink as much as you want; you're always on duty, and just when you're about to relax, you're needed for something urgent. Overall, I was so proud of my little Declonian, but it was obvious the day before we left that Declan had had enough! He refused to eat, wouldn't sleep, and, short of crossing his arms and sticking out his lower lip, he let us know it was time to go home.

Traveling home was a doozie. We showed up three hours early for our first flight only to find a one-room airport with no security line and, really, no one else there. Declan was good, crawling around and entertaining his grandparents, but I was already dreading the long day. We got there at 9:30am and didn't get home until 8:30pm. Loooong day.

The first flight was okay. Declan slept on my and Rich's lap most of the way. During our three hour lay over in Houston was when it got really interesting. We stopped to eat at a Chili's and Declan did well, and seemed to be enjoying himself. It wasn't until Rich looked at me, with laughing eyes, and asked me if I heard Declan that the real fun began. One look, and we could see that Declan hadn't just pooped, he pooped all over his back and it was seeping out of his onesie. In a panic, we took off for the nearest store, found a Houston onesie and went about our task. I hate to say it, but Declan's Baby Gap, adorable, "Apple of Daddy's Eye" onesie was a casualty. I actually spent a long moment at the trash can considering how hard it would really be to wash it out before coming to my senses. That thing was trashed! We had to put Declan's pants and long sleeved shirt in a bag and Declan was left in just a onesie. Luckily we had his blanket so we were able to wrap him up, but, seeing as it was about 30 degrees in Kansas, it wasn't ideal.

Next, (it may have been the lack of warm clothes or the fact that it was already past his bed time, and that Declan is nothing if not punctual) Dec cried almost the whole flight into KC. I just cringed as he started up each time. Especially because we were on one of those little planes with just two seats on one side and one on the other. Then this guy behind us started farting. I think it was the same guy who was glaring at us, probably farting for revenge. Like he thought he could blame it on the baby.

We've been home and it's been a tough week. I can't imagine that anyone reading this doesn't know why. It was heart breaking for me that I was in Mexico for Megan's funeral. No amount of sun or fun could make that go away. And that's all I will say about that.

Since I'm not sure if I've bragged about how advanced Declan is lately, I'll give you a list of his most recent accomplishments:

1. Flushing the toilet.
2. Drinking from a straw.
3. The death pinch.
4. Fish face.
5. Lifting up the toilet lid and reaching inside.
6. Waving.
7. Eating toilet paper. Big chunks. Chew. Swallow.
8. Giving things to Mommy, Daddy, and Scooter.
9. Singing/humming/making high pitched noises while music is on.
10. Pooping in the bathtub during naked time in Mexico.

Genius.

Operation Chubby

So everyone keeps asking me how Declan liked Christmas. Ummm...he didn't know it was happening? He basically stared at all of his presents and ripped on piece of wrapping paper before moving on. He likes his new toys though, so the fruit of Christmas, or should I say the spirit of Christmas was greatly appreciated by my little papoose.

Declan had his nine month appointment on the 19th, and it didn't quite go as planned. While Declan's height is in the 95th percentile, his height/weight ratio is now in the 20th. What happened to my bigfatbaby? After mildly hyperventilating, I explained that he's been crawling and is extremely mobile and my doctor (you know what she thinks about my explanations) immediately gave me the business. She said all babies his age are extremely mobile so it doesn't count. Then she really freaked me out by telling me that babies his age really need fat for brain development. So you know what that means? The first time he struggles on a test or is slow to pick something up, I'll spend the whole week blaming myself for not giving him enough fat when he was 8 months old. It's okay though, I got her back by keeping her for another 30 minutes rehashing all the reasons why Declan might not have gained weight. Maybe next time she'll think twice before shaming me.

Needless to say, the moment I got home, I started Operation Chubby. I went to the store and bought $65.00 worth of full fat dairy products. That's a lot of dairy, people! Then I made him some new food and instead of steaming the veggies, I sauteed them in butter, and instead of using water in the puree, I used heavy cream. The result: deliciousness. As God is my witness, Big Fat Baby will rise again!

We doubled his meal portions (he ate it all) and started giving him snacks twice a day. And instead of saying no to cookies, I bought baby D his first Nilla Wafers. No more water to dilute the juice! He gets the good stuff now.

And after a week of this, I took him to the doctor to have his ears looked at. I was more anxious to weigh him than to find out about the ears (they are fine). All the fat and carbs have to be working, right? I mean, he is my son. His weight? 20 Fing pounds! Not 20.1, not 20.2. 20 on the dot. Seriously. We nearly doubled D's food, which he was totally receptive to and which really broke my heart because I became convinced I must have been starving him. But 20 pounds? Not even an ounce gained? He even looks chubbier!

Short of creating a butter IV, I'm not sure what I can do to make this kid a chubster again. But, damn it, I'm going to try. Wish me luck.

We are off to Mexico on Friday, which I'm sure will mean I'll have a ton to report when we get back, but once we return, I have to go into the doctor's office for an official weigh in. Yep, that's right, we have to check back up on his weight. Hopefully, he will have fattened up by then. Wish us luck!

All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth

Yep, we've reached that time again...teeth. Dec's top two are descending rapidly, and it's making the poor kid miserable. On the plus side, Declan's finally figured out that he can manipulate us, and is now super sweet right before bed time. And tonight he gave Rich and I the sweetest, most sloppy kisses. Then he bit me. On my lip, on my cheek, on my nose. It was like he didn't know what he liked more, kisses or bites. Yep, he's definitely teething.

He also got some of his first Christmas presents. And the most successful has been from his Uncle Scott and Aunt Amy. It's a little walker/scooter that helps kids with walking skills. Until today, Declan has seemed more than content crawling and cruising. He stands alone, but only by accident. When he figures out that he's not holding onto something he panics and drops right to the floor. Maybe it was because he still had something to hold onto, or maybe he just figured it out, but, after pushing the walker on his knees a few times, he started following with steps! I was so proud. I'm really looking forward to those first steps.

Declan's been crawling and cruising for awhile now, and he's gotten his share of bumps. I swear I'll be standing not an inch from him and still he manages to get multiple black eyes. It seems like the moment that one disappears, another shows up. Surely enough, today, after a bruise-free eye for a few days, Declan took a monumental spill while trying to push the walker and ended up with a welt and a puffy eye. Great. The Moms Club will probably think I abuse him.

On a lighter note, I finally got around to creating Christmas cards. They're my first. Usually, I'm all talk and no action, but yesterday I took 154 pictures of Declan and finally found two that were card-worthy. Then Rich helped with the wording, and I'm going to pick them up Monday. Now I've just got to get them addressed and stamped...let's hope they get out by Christmas. Wish me luck!

Moms' Club of Lawrence

I found out that there's a moms club in Lawrence and was so excited to actually venture out of my safe, little bubble. Of course nothing ever goes as planned though. This is the story of my life.

So I got an email from the membership chairman and she told me that they were having a meeting on Wednesday at 4:00 and that they had a babysitter for the kids that only cost $1 per mom. I decided that nothing was going to keep me from this meeting.

So on Wednesday at around 3:00, I started getting ready. Declan was a little fussy, but I was determined. I wanted to appear stylish but casual, so I put on a v-neck t-shirt and a cardigan. I had just taken a shower and my hair air dried nicely, so I actually felt pretty good. Then I got Declan ready. He was fussy, and as we progressed, what started as a whimper, evolved into a full-blown tantrum, but, frazzled, I soldiered on. I was not going to miss this meeting.

I ignored the cries and forced Declan into his coat. I set his hat and gloves out to make sure I didn't forget, and went downstairs to check the location. Nope. No getting on the computer for me. The coat had only intensified Declan's rage and now he was demanding to be held or scream bloody murder. So I called Rich in New Jersey and had him look up the location, which turned out to be harder to find than I thought.

So I packed Declan up, it was now 3:55 and we needed to go. I improvised and luckily the meeting place was pretty close to our house. I got there at 3:59. Success!

And as I watched all the moms bring their kids into the meeting place, I checked my quarter stash for the $1 babysitting fee and...nothing. Turns out Rich had taken the quarters for the toll that Monday. Great. I almost turned around. I didn't want to be that one person that wasn't together enough to pony up for the babysitter. Especially when it was only $1! I wanted to find some good networks and new people to interact with and we all know first impressions are important.

But I had worked hard to get there, so I hoped they would forgive me. Then I realized I had never gotten the hat and mittens on Declan, so on the cold, windy day I watched all the warm, cozy, well taken care of, children gather for the meeting. And I sheepishly grabbed Declan and brought him inside as soon as possible.

I'm the kind of person that likes to point things out before other people notice, especially when they don't know me, just so they know that I know what's missing. It's like letting them know that I really have it all together, this is just an exception. But, truly, I don't really have it all together. Who am I kidding? Anyway, the first woman that said hi to me got an earful about Declan's missing hat and mittens and my lack of a dollar. She was nice and seemed a little surprised I was so worried. I think I was also a little too much for her because she didn't really talk to me again... Oh well, there were lots of women. Maybe one could be my friend.

But I wasn't done yet! I introduced myself to the club's officers and let them know that I was new. I was carrying Declan and talking and it took me a minute to notice that when I had hoisted Declan up, he had moved my cute v-neck down. And the whole time my bra had been showing. Yes, first impressions people. And I had to tell the officers I didn't have my dollar. While my bra was showing. Sweet.

They were all nice and the meeting started. Declan was actually playing really well and his fussing magically stopped when he spotted kids and toys. I was keeping an eye on him, mostly because I felt so self-conscious and it gave me something to do. But, when they started the meeting I was doing my best to be attentive and redeem the whole bra thing when Declan took a big spill. He started screaming, and I rushed over. So I picked him up, and in an effort to quiet him down while the group leader was talking, I gave him one of the Nilla Wafers that were offered for snacks. Now, it's important to note that we've made a significant effort to feed Declan wholesome food. He's never had a cookie. Turns out he likes them, a lot.

Declan took that cookie and shoved the whole thing in his mouth. He couldn't even chew it! It just sat there, bulging out of his cheeks. And he had this look on his face daring me to even think about trying to take any of it out. So I had no choice but to watch as he sucked on the whole cookie. Slurp. Slurp. Slurp. And Nilla infused spit started spewing from his mouth down my black cardigan. Bra showing again. Wiping spit up. Bulging mouth. Smile, just smile.

The meeting ended quickly, but it was 4:45 and I know my baby well enough to know that I had about 5 minutes until the final countdown, so I quickly left. But not before requesting the play date calendar. Hey, they all may run when they see me coming, but I'm coming damnit! I didn't go through all of that for nothing!

When I got in the car, I saw that my stylishly air dried hair had turned into the pre hot oil part of the VO5 commercials. Gary Busey in the house!

The Final Meltdown do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do

Just a few snippits of info and some cute pics. Since they're unrelated, I've decided to do a top ten list ala Letterman.


Top Ten Reasons Declan is Hilarious

10. Where's Waldtoe?


9. Solid Food

8. Super Declan!

7. His New Winter Hat and Mittens

6. He Loves the Ladies


5. But Not More Than He Loves Mommy
4. And Daddy

3. He Likes to Carry Socks In His Mouth
2. He Uses Two Spoons

1. He Loves Those Bubble Baths!

Thanksgiving

Money can't buy a wonderful family...I am truly blessed.

I'm one of those people who is always lamenting. I've just found that it's rejuvenating to admit those things that bother me. But, lately, with the sleep deprivation and the adjustment of the new baby, I think I've focused more on the downside of things. And don't get me wrong, in addition to adjusting to life with a baby, Rich and I have had a tough fall. Things just haven't been going our way. Things have been hard financially, Rich has been traveling to New Jersey for work, Declan hasn't been a great sleeper, and Rich's mom is sick. All of the stress has definitely taken a toll and sometimes it seems like things will never turn around.

But the thing that I didn't expect was that all of this hardship would humble me and make me more grateful for the things that I do have. It's amazing how being on a tight budget can make every opportunity feel so special. I think before this, I spent several hundred dollars a month on things like coffee and take out. I think Papa Murphy's is seriously missing all the money I was spending on pizza. What would Suzie Orman say?

Rich is gone part of the time and it's so hard to be on call 24 hours a day. Before Declan, I would spend my summer vacations reading and lounging. I don't think I'd even know what to do with a whole day, let alone summer, now. I used to get at least eight hours of sleep a night, and honestly it was more like nine. And I am not a nice person when I'm tired. It's like I'm the Hulk, but instead of turning green, I have crazy eyes and ratted hair. Either way, I scare people when I venture out in public. But again, I wouldn't trade all the free time in the world for the love and devotion I feel for my son.

I watched Oprah's pay it forward challenge the other day, and I could not stop crying. All of the stories were amazingly touching, but there were two that really made me stop and think about all of the amazing things in my life. One was a 75 year old man who had to drop out of elementary school to take care of his family. It was his life's aspiration, his highest dream, to learn to read. He had been auditing a first grade classroom and was reading at a first grade level, and the challenge winner decided to spend her $1,000.00 to buy him a box of books. And the look in this man's eyes when he opened this box was of such wonder and thankfulness. He was drawn to tears just looking at this treasure chest. And I couldn't help but think of how lucky this man would think I am. What could I possibly have to complain about? In addition to living in a safe community, with a college education, I have a warm home in the winter and a closet full of clothes...and bookshelves full of books I've read.

The other story was of a woman whose boyfriend had shot her in the face with a shotgun. This woman was horribly disfigured and the challenge winner gave her $2600 for a facial surgery. Here I am worrying about the last few pounds I want to lose or going to the store looking messy! On top of that, I have a beautiful, healthy baby. Which makes me want to tell another story from that show, but I won't. In fact, I could go through all of the touching stories and my reaction would be the same: I was just so struck by how much I take the ease and comfort of my life for granted.

Another inspiring experience I've had lately was seeing Jeanette Walls speak at KU a few weeks ago. She wrote a book about her life called The Glass Castle. Anyone who's read it knows where I'm going with this. Jeanette's parents did horrific things to their children. They watched the kids starve and bought themselves alcohol and chocolate. They exposed them to molesters and vagrants. The story is sometimes too horrible to believe and yet it happened. And it is happening for many people right now. But when I saw Walls speak, she said that when bad things happen, you can hold onto them because of their horror or you can look at them as opportunities to make a change. She called her worst memory, when her father offered her up as a prize in a pool game to an older man, a gift because it motivated her to get out. I've never seen that kind of hardship and I hope I never will.

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for perspective. Because I can see all the things I don't have or the mountain of things that I do. It just matters where I'm looking.

Sweet Home Kansas City

This weekend, Rich and I proudly brought Declan to Kansas City to meet some of Rich's best college friends. They were at a wedding that we didn't go to, so we only had a few hours to see one another. I was really touched when Rich told me that they were excited to meet Declan and wanted to make sure we could see each other even though Rich and I weren't going to the wedding. So, on Saturday, we put Declan in a great outfit, packed up all the toys and gear necessary for a visit, and took off for the Embassy Suites on the Plaza.

Whenever I go somewhere, I have a mental image in my head of what it might be like. Usually this isn't far off, but sometimes it differs greatly with reality. This was one of those times. As you all know, Declan is a crawling, pulling up, and cruising fanatic who loves to explore. I was thinking that an Embassy Suite would work out great and had envisioned little Declan exploring the room, being held by everyone, and doing all those little funny things babies do. Except I forgot that this was a male-driven outing. I don't know about you, but my husband, for all of his strengths, is not a detailed organizer. He's likely to accept what is put out instead of lobby for his way. Especially with his friends. So I heard and envisioned Embassy Suites while Rich envisioned the lobby bar at Embassy Suites, but no details were discussed, so we were given another reality altogether.

After we arrived at the hotel, the group told us that we were going to Charlie Hooper's. Which is a bar. Without windows. Or high chairs. Or a clean floor. Or ample lighting. Not even the door has a window. This is probably the worst place for a baby in the KC area. The guys were all drinking in between the wedding and the reception, which is what they've always done. And we were just going to go right along. Just with an infant. The line from Sweet Home Alabama just kept going through my mind, on a loop. "You have a baby! In a bar." Right before the girl starts talking about the Jacklyn Smith Collection from Kmart. But this was not my field trip, so I played along. Outside of my inner protests, everything went okay for about five whole minutes. But when Declan, who had about the same opinion of the whole baby in the bar thing as me, started howling, I eagerly threw him into the Baby Bjorn and walked around outside. Except it was 30 degrees. And Declan was throwing a baby fit.

So I went in and out of the three stores on the street. At Tuesday Morning, I created an enemy when I was looking at coffee pots (I needed one, so why not take a shopping opportunity?) while she was looking in the same section. After a few sideways glances at me and my red-faced baby she retreated to the housewares section. Maybe she was just eyeing the same pot, but it also could have been the Mariah Carey-like high notes coming out of Declan's mouth. Who knows? I think she might have complained to the manager. Whatever. I had bigger issues.

When it was obvious to me that I could 1. Not rejoin my husband and the merry drinking men and 2. not walk around and shop with my little one. I did the only thing I could do: I put him in the car and spent the next hour driving around Brookside. I sang along to the radio and looked at the beautiful houses, and Declan fell asleep. It was definitely one of those days.

Here's the kicker though. Declan usually eats at 5:00. We were on our way home from Kansas City around that time, so I decided that we should stop for dinner instead of enduring more cries on our long ride home. So we stopped, and the most amazing thing happened when Declan got out of the car. He got into his high chair, and grinned at me. Then he spent dinner alternating between stuffing grilled cheese in his mouth (not whole grain, not organic...don't judge me, we had a hard day) and turning around to the family behind us and grinning at their daughter. It was his first flirt. I think he was so relieved to be back in a familiar setting that he decided to reward us with some sweetness. Kids. Just when you think you've got them figured out...

Total Anihilation

It seems to me that parenthood is constantly filled with humbling experiences. That as soon as you are light on your feet and feeling proud of your excellent parenting, something comes along to knock you back down to size. We were doing good, Declan started crawling early, which has its own difficulties, but I was really proud at how well he was thriving. Declan opened up and became the smiley, happy baby I was worried would never come, and I was at least getting okay rest...

Then he got his teeth, and then the dreaded ear infection. Now, 10 days after we started antibiotics, Declan is still pulling at his ear, is almost inconsolable throughout the day, and he woke up every two hours last night. To add insult to injury, he was like this most of the week while Rich was in New Jersey, and Rich is traveling this week too. I've certainly been knocked back down a few notches.

I wonder if everyone feels so helpless or if it's just me. I still feel like a kid, and some days I just want it get easier. Then it does, but that's fleeting too. I did get some wisdom from watching Kung Fu Panda last night. No matter what you want it to be, a peach tree will always be a peach tree. Brilliant, right? Declan will always be Declan. Not the kid in my perfect world, not my friend's baby who sleeps, and smiles, and sits on laps, not the baby who can already wave bye-bye at eight months. Declan will always be the baby that crawls all over the story lady at the library. He'll always be the baby who wants mommy ALL the time. He'll always be the baby who sees an electrical cord 10 feet away and zooms straight for it and hates the stroller and the car seat and the playpen. He's a peach, not an orange. And with this timeless Disney wisdom, I must conclude that there are wonderful things about a peach. And then the cycle starts over again because I'm starting to feel proud. Crap. Something's going to erupt any second now.

On another note, there was a baby, for privacy reasons, we'll say she is a rhubarb, not a peach, who walked around to every kid at story time and took their toys. She'd take a toy and walk around with it, and eventually drop it and move on. And her mom didn't intervene until little Rhubarb, happily gulping on some milk from a sippy cup, took the cup and sheepishly gave it back to its original owner. Meanwhile, I practically had to pry Declan's death grip off of the story lady. It was like a moth to a flame. He saw her white hair and granny spectacles and fell in love. Maybe he'll like older women when he grows up. Oh, and by the way, that little girl, her name was actually Rhubarb. She had on turquoise, suede, American Indian style boots. Rhubarb. Do you think her mom would hate it if little Rhubarb decided she wanted to be called Barbie and dye her hair platinum?

Charmander

I have a friend, Trisha, whose son is one month older than Declan. I love seeing what Frankie's doing, because it gives me an idea of what is coming. In the early months, this was especially neat. Frankie would smile and I'd hope that Declan would smile soon. I saw Frankie going crazy in the jumparoo when Declan could care less, and I was so excited to see Declan interact like that.

This week, Jessica and Charlie came to visit. Charlie is 11 months older than Declan, and the last time they saw each other, Declan was only four weeks old. This time, although it wasn't an instant brotherhood, the boys were more aware of one another, and since both are big personalities, I got to see what's coming.

First of all, Charlie is adorable. He's funny and charming, and if Declan does half of the hilarious things Charlie's come up with, we're in for a lot of fun in the next few months. Jess has told me stories, but nothing, nothing compares to the real experience. From the moment they walked through the door, I could tell that the little baby I'd seen so many times before was all but gone. Jess had gotten Charlie Sonic, fastened the bib, ripped the chicken nuggets into Charlie-friendly pieces, and...with one sweep of his arm, Charlie pushed half onto the floor. Unsatisfied with his progress, he quickly swept the rest of it off his tray. Needless to say, Scooter had a new best friend.

With dinner over, and Charlie out of his seat, I got to see the true show. All of a sudden, I heard a little humming, and then a 1 1/2 year old booty shake, and then, the finale, some New Kids on the Block "You Got the Right Stuff, Babaaay" leg kicks (you know what I'd talking about, don't pretend you didn't go to the concert). Let me tell you, I've never seen a toddler dance, but without fail, when music came on, Charlie started the dance. I loved it! Over the next couple of days, I found myself trying to coax Declan into just a slight sway. The boy band moves could wait. I'm not picky. I just have a feeling that a small part of my soul could be fulfilled if Declan would dance. You all know how I love to dance. But Rich, not so much. He'll do two things: slow dance and the robot. And his robot involves just one arm moving back and forth. It might sway all of my fears about having only boys if at least one of them would dance around the living room with me.

Here's the New Kids' video. Charlie's dance is right at the 1:20 mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuHgBCxCRgo

I'll keep you updated on Declan's Dance Card. So far, 0. But I have not yet lost hope.

Jess and I went to The Legends (fail!), Nordstrom Cafe (double fail!), birthday dinner with my mom at our favorite restaurant (I don't think we're allowed back), and the McDonald's play room (had to change a poopy diaper on the floor, but no one saw...pass!). I don't ever go to McDonald's because they don't have food I eat, but I have a feeling I'll be trying out their whole menu of coffee items. It's two blocks away from my house. Crap.

That's what's wonderful about having another mom to do stuff with, she's been there before, if not currently sharing the same experiences, and it's less embarrassing when you have someone with you who understands. It's also great to see that even though Charlie wasn't a great sleeper when he was Declan's age, he's figured it out now. He's able to take pretty long naps, even though, like Declan, he was a cat napper. He survived his MMR vaccine, and there's no trace of autism. Just like hanging out with Trisha excites me for what's to come, being with Jessica shows me that there's a light at the end of our tunnel. I think Jess would argue that there are other tunnels and other issues, and I know that's coming too. Right now, I'm just desperately hoping for the day when I can sleep 10 hours in a row. Hell, right now I'd take 6.

The Tooth Fairy Cometh

Last week, Declan cut two teeth. I knew there was something wrong on Monday when, during a routine grocery store outing, Declan screamed so loud that people shopping in other aisles recoiled from us when we came around the corner. We were grocery store lepers.

Lo and behold, after many fake-outs, I felt Declan's first tooth when we got home. Now, because nothing can ever be the easy option, we had one of those weeks. He didn't want to nap, he was fussy all the time, and for the last few nights, he's been up for a solid two hours in the middle of the night. Two nights ago he woke up every half hour. This is where the mommy instinct comes in. Where Rich was done with D's shenanigans, I just knew there was something wrong. The next morning, the second tooth had appeared.

Of course the only thing that will work is Motrin. Last week, I found myself counting the minutes until I could give it to him again. He takes the biggest dose because of his size and before I knew it, the whole bottle was gone. Then I started worrying that I was "that mom", the one who drugs her kids instead of giving them the love and tenderness that they deserve...but, the thing is, it works. Last week, Declan wouldn't nap without it. I'd get him asleep in my arms, but the moment I laid him down in his crib he'd wake up hysterical.

I'm from the "do what you've got to do" mommy school. I think judging someone because their kid still takes a pacifier or sleeps in their bed or drinks formula or is held all the time is completely worthless. I save judgement for the big things, like whether they have cute clothes or not. Or whether they have the right brand of stroller. That's a big one.


On another note, Declan is now a proficient crawler and has been delighting in traveling where he wants to go and exploring every corner of a room. Mostly, he gravitates toward all the spaces he should avoid, and really wants to chew on every electrical cord he can find. Now, every time I leave a room, I imagine that I'll walk in and his hair will be on end with smoke coming out of his ears. Maybe that should be his halloween costume...I already bought a dinosaur though. Darn.

He's already pulling up on everything I can get ahold of, which makes me worry that walking is not far around the corner. Rich walked at 9 months, and I think we'll have a repeat performance with Declan.

Declan has been laughing more. I'm desperately trying to get a video, but whenever I turn it on, Declan turns to look at me with an "oh really" face and abruptly stops all merriment. He's onto my tricks. He also loves his B's. Buh, buh, buh means so many things. It means mommy, toy, hungry, and pretty much everything else. It's really endearing when he looks at me with intense concentration and says "buh, buh". I don't think this one will be satisfied until he can do and say exactly what he wants. Wonder where he gets that from...

Holy Crawling, Batman!

I've been waiting for this day for a few weeks, but I'm still honestly amazed at Declan's agility. He crawled for the first time yesterday. He's six months and one week old.

In many ways, it's great that he's crawling so early. He's more content to play on his own and I know he's incredibly satisfied that he can finally select what to do on his own. He's definitely a motivated, independent kid. He'll focus on a skill until he gets it instead of just having fun and doing things on accident. There are no accidents here.

The down side is that he's now a total maniac. In the middle of the night, he's waking up and practicing his technique. Last night, we went into his room several times and each time he moved to the end of his crib and pulled up on the slats and crib bumper. He was sitting upright, clenching the slats of the crib like a prisoner clinging to the bars of his cell. Now he just needs to learn "nobody knows the trouble I've seen, nobody knows my sorrow" and a tin cup. Seriously. He was sitting there crying and peering up at us with this forlorn look. Like he just wanted to be free and explore the world and we were cooping him up in this horrible contraption.

I usually pull him into bed around 5:00am and the last few days I've woken up to Declan on all fours headbutting the headboard. Maniac!

He's also started bopping. All I need are some good jams and he'll be dancing the day away. The upside is that he now loves his jumparoo, although he's a little strong for his own good and often scares himself while he's bouncing around. The downside is that he bops all the time, even while breastfeeding. The changing table has become a battle ground and I often have to change him on the floor where he's flopping everywhere. I've gotten good at putting on his diapers while he's on all fours.

Seriously, are all babies so freaking strong? I'm no match for this kid. He's given me a fat lip, head butts that could make Chuck Norris pass out, and this week he grabbed my face with that death grip and gave me two large cuts on my nose.

As we speak, Declan has discovered the drawers in the tv stand. I think it's only a matter of moments before all of our DVDs and video games are strewn across the floor. Why couldn't I have a normal baby who waits until nine months to crawl?

Oh, and I forgot, Declan's new favorite thing? Electrical cords. He wants to chew on them. Great. Just great. And now he's eating the Playstation 3...

Chaos

Declan is six months old! From the moment we had him, we've been hearing about how this is the best stage of babyhood. And now I can really see why. For the first time, Declan is smiling at me to try and get my attention, and he's more free with laughter and fun. I think that now that he can reach for toys and roll toward something he wants, he's so much more content.

Yesterday, my friend Becky came over and had such a good time with Declan on the piano. I posted the picture above. Declan was kicking and pounding that piano just like Jerry Lee Lewis. It was amazing, especially because he got his six month shots yesterday. The other times, he was just lethargic and fussy. Yesterday, it was like nothing had happened. And I'd blame it on his bigfatbaby status, but, sadly, Declan is no longer a bigfatbaby. A moment of silence please.

Declan has officially changed his status from bigfatbaby to Dex the Tank. Declan's weight is now only in the 75th percentile, 19 pounds, but his height is in the 97th, 28.5 inches. Nearly everyone who sees him, including his doctor, notes how sturdy he is. He's like that kid from junior high who's a rolly polly and then goes out for football. He's my little butterfly. And he's about to start flying around like one too. This kid is just one connecting moment away from bounding around this house. He loves to set his sights on a toy and wiggle worm his way over to it. There's an immense sense of pride in me as I watch him take that toy and stick it in his mouth for some well deserved chewing.

He's also started shaking things up and down. I've taken to singing "shake it, shake it, shake it like a polaroid picture, hey ya" when he does this. I think I'm funny.

Movin' Movin' Movin'

I think one of the saddest things about traveling for Rich is that each week when he comes home, Declan is different. It's amazing how subtle a change can be like Declan accomplishing something new on his high chair toy or starting to watch as I eat. They can also be big ones, and that's where I really feel for Rich. This week, for instance, Declan magically became 100 times more mobile. I put him on the floor in his play gym and the next thing I knew he was all the way across the room.

He's also started bouncing back and forth while on all fours. Rich calls it "humping" and really, that's what it looks like, but, correct me if I'm wrong, it just seems wrong to describe my baby as humping. I'm already dreading the teen years, especially if he looks as much like his dad as I think he will. Besides, I've already decided that he's saving himself for Vivienne Marcheline.

So crawling is coming soon and I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand I'm happy because Declan will have achieved something new and will be able to have more control over his environment. On the other, I've got these horrible spiral stairs that give me nightmares. And he partially trapped himself under the cedar chest yesterday. I'm sure that won't be the last time he wriggles into a sketchy spot.

Firsts

This weekend Rich and I did what until now seemed impossible: we returned to normal life...at least we dipped our toes. We took Declan to his first KU football tailgate. Last year, we only went to one, which ended in fighting and fatigue. Pregnancy and the heat, beer, and walking that encompass the tailgating experience didn't go together well for me. Without beer, tailgating is really just standing around in a parking lot. But, this year, the beer was back and it was magically fun again.

Declan was a champ. He rode around in his new stroller, fell asleep, and let all sorts of random people hold him. I guess he hasn't hit the stranger danger phase yet. He wore his little Jayhawk polo and all the hustle and bustle seemed to make a calm observer out of our normally demanding little one. Plus, all the new foods we've given Declan have made him much more happy to take a bottle of formula, so I didn't have to worry about finding a place to nurse in all the craziness. Rich just shook up the bottle, and Declan took it with no problem. Touchdown Corcorans!

When I say we dipped our toes, it's because instead of the marathon we used to pull out for a tailgating day, Rich and I were limited, and happily so, to about three hours. It was a jam-packed three hours though, and the Corcorans were tired. So tired, in fact, that we spent all of Sunday resting and hanging out around the house. I had three whole drinks during that monumental three hours, and I was just as hung over as if I'd spent the night partying back in the old days. When I say the old days, I mean any time before last July when I found out I was pregnant.

Even though the tailgate was the most fun first of the weekend, it wasn't the only one. Yet another disadvantage to having a huge baby is that he grows out of everything fast. This weekend, Rich and I had to give up the infant car seat. This means no more seat for him in the shopping cart, at restaurants, and our snap n' go is no longer in service. He does look cute (and much more comfortable) in his "big boy" seat, and it's always fun to put the new things you've bought into use.

Declan's also discovered the remote and the computer keys. He loves to bang away at them, especially when I'm writing email or IMing. He's really into what Rich and I are doing. He'll make chewing motions while he watches us eat, and he loves to "type" while I'm on the computer. He's slowly figuring out how to get to that toy he wants, but in the meantime I'm now essential for all of his playtime.

He's also discovered J.J. and Scooter watches with fascination as they move in and out of his view. He really likes all animals, but like most babies, is probably not ready to be that close yet. For example, Declan seized Rich's brother's puppy, who is a good two pounds, and, death grip extended, lifted her off the ground like she was one of his toys. That little dog didn't utter a peep. She's probably used to that manhandling from her mother. If it weren't for the panic in Scott's eyes, we probably wouldn't have noticed either.

We're also in the midst of some wicked teething. He'd like to have his pacifier cemented to his mouth and fusses amost immediately when he doesn't have something to soothe him. In fact, as I type this, Declan is demanding something to chew.

And he's just itching to be mobile. I think I have some running in my future. Wish me luck!