Monday, December 04, 2006

Maxzilla laughs. Maxzilla bounces.

Earlier today:


Last night: (a much improved performance from his previous jolly jumper video)

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Maxwell Hunter: 7 months old.

My dearest baby Max,

I'm over a week late with your 7 month entry, but dude, it's because you are keeping me REALLY busy. This past month, you have turned into Mr.Personality Plus. Your smiles are brighter, you have a mischievous glimmer in your eyes, and your little bottom teeth continue to sprout. Sometimes you bite me when I am feeding you, and I take you off the boob when you do this. We both have a little cry, and when I put you back on, I say "gentle" and you are very tentative, which makes me laugh. It's nice to know you understand what the word gentle means. You have also found your voice, and kid, you got some pipes on you. Also, you aren't shy about sharing your displeasure with me. Good thing I wear earplugs all day, or else I'd lose my hearing for all your high pitched squealing and caterwailing. I'm kidding by the way...about the earplugs (though sometimes I am tempted).
We have continued on the journey of solid foods. Added to the repertoire were apricots, prunes & pears, peaches, plums, chicken (stinky!), peas and bananas. You looked at me like I was trying to poison you when I gave you both peas and bananas. I haven't revisited the bananas, but I trick you with the peas by mixing them with carrots. One of your favourite things to do is buzz your lips like a motorboat during mealtime...this makes things very messy - you find this to be hilarious. You seem to really like your fruit, which is awesome. I'll keep working on the vegetables. You also tried a cheerio when your BGF Maya handed you one last week. You weren't too sure what to think about it, but you did keep it in your mouth and I think it eventually dissolved. I suspect you didn't like it, but you were too proud to spit it out in front of Maya and I don't blame you as she's pretty cute.
You are making great strides with the crawling, though you are still working on moving forward. I am pretty sure you will have it mastered by Christmas. You can hold a plank position for over a minute (my pilates instructor would be proud). Once you figure out how to move your arms without falling on your head, there will be no stopping you. I think you get a bit frustrated when you see Maya motoring around. She'll be coming to hang out with us every day starting in January, so I hope you have it all sorted out by then or she will leave you in her dust.
Bathtime is become more fun as you are now sitting up in the bath. We have given you some bath toys to play with, but you seem to think the best thing to do is splash your mom and dad. I hope you continue to be a good sport about bathes (some kids don't like them). You are so big and squirmy now it takes two of us to get you in and out of the tub.

On Friday you did something you had never done before. When I came to pick you up, you reached out for me, and then my heart melted. I immediately called your dad and told him. Being a mom can be hard work and it is these little things that keep me going when I am tired and worn out. Your sleep is starting to get better, but we still aren't quite there yet. This past week you have been going to bed around 8pm and staying asleep for anywhere between 6 and 8 hours. Then you wake up for a snack and sleep for a few more hours. This is definite progress, and I am looking forward to even more progress in the weeks to come (hint hint).
In a few weeks you will take your second plane ride as we head back out to BC for Christmas. Your Grandma and your Grandad are very excited to see you again as our last trip got cut short. Since this is your first Christmas, you will probably get spoiled, but I have a feeling you will be more interested in the wrapping paper than the actual presents. I can't wait to see your face when you see the Christmas tree for the first time. We'll have to make sure we have the camera at the ready.

I feel like every day you are doing something new and you are growing and changing right before my eyes. I am so excited to see what the coming months will bring. Every day with you is an adventure.

Love,
Mom

1 month | 2 months | 3 months | 4 months | 5 months | 6 months

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

You. Can. Only. Type. One. Word. No. Explanations.

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.
No.
Explanations.
1. Yourself: content
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): Scott
3. Your hair: ponytail
4. Your mother: brilliant
5. Your father: which?
6. Your Favorite Item: ring
7. Your dream last night: sleep?
8. Your Favorite drink: wine
9. Your Dream Car: Jag
10. The room you are in: family_room
11. Your Ex: gay
12. Your fear: loss
13. What you want to be in 10 years? fulfilled
14. Who you hung out with last night? Scott
15. What You're Not? rested
16. Muffins: fatty
17. One of Your Wish List Items: sparklies
18. Time: short
19. The Last Thing You Did: breastfeed
20. What You Are Wearing: jeans
21. Your Favorite Weather: cool
22. Your Favorite Book: what?
23. The Last Thing You Ate: breakfast4dinner
24. Your Life: bizzy
25. Your Mood: positive
26. Your best friend: Jennifer
27. What are you thinking about right now? Max
28. Your car: Toyota4ever
29. What are you doing at the moment? tv
30. Your summer: flew
31. Your relationship status: married_w_child
32. What is on your TV? MuchMusic
33. What is the weather like? coldish
34. When is the last time you laughed? today

Monday, November 06, 2006

Maxwell Hunter: 6 months old.

My dearest baby Max,

This post is a few weeks late, because, well, you're keeping me busy little dude! The past month has been a busy one. And by busy, I mean, looking back, I can't figure out how we managed to pack so much into one month!
First off, you are still growing like a weed. At your 6 month checkup, you weighed in at a whopping 19.5 pounds, and 29 inches long. Your noggin is 19 inches in circumference, so you have a big head (just like your dad). We started you on solids this past month and while at first you just moved the rice cereal around in your mouth, now you open your mouth wide and (so far) eat pretty much everything we put in front of you. You have experienced the joys of rice cereal, squash, sweet potato (a favourite), pears, carrots, and just this morning, oats. The texture of the oats must have tickled your little mouth because as I fed them to you, you laughed and laughed and laughed. Somehow we got oats in your ears...I'm not sure how we managed that! Once we make sure you are okay with oats, we will give bananas a try. You are our little Monkey-doodle, so I think you will like bananas just fine. The most "interesting" part of the whole solids thing is that your poops have changed and wow do they ever stink! While you used to not mind sitting in a poopy diaper for a few minutes, now after a few warning grunts, you look very unhappy and start crying if your butt is not tended to immediately. I honestly cannot blame you as I wouldn't want to sit in poop either.

This past month we also went on our first plane ride out to Vancouver. That was an adventure for sure. Thank goodness the folks at WestJet are so baby friendly. They gave us a whole row. Unfortunately, you got your first cold just as we were about to leave, so you were not feeling very good. I learned that it is better to fly with you in the morning when you are at your freshest and in a good mood. Putting you on a plane during your witching hour(s) is a bad idea for all. On the way to Vancouver I felt like I should buy a few rounds of drinks for the passengers sitting around us. Hell, I even had a glass of wine! The trip home was much better though (you slept for 2 hours and we had a portable dvd player and Blues Clues to keep you entertained).

To add insult to injury, combined with your first cold (your cough sounded like a little barking seal and your little nose ran like a tap) you started teething like a little fiend. Your two bottom teeth crowned and that must have hurt something fierce. Now, my dear Max, we need to have a talk about the whole breastfeeding issue. You have to be gentle on mommy. These little bites you are giving me are not nice and not appreciated. When you bite me, I take you off the boob and say very sternly "no biting, biting hurts!" just like your Aunt Jenny told me to. Sometimes you get very sad and cry a bit. That's okay, because when I put you back on the boob, you are very gentle and tentative and you look at me like "is this okay mommy?". So, I know you know better, but sometimes you need a bit of reminding.

Once you recovered from your cold, you had your first surgery at Sick Kids Hospital on October 26th. It broke your dad and my hearts when the nurse came to take you away for your surgery. You were in a little surgery top and bottom set (it was so big you were almost swimming in it). You were giving us a big smile, and we felt really bad because we knew what was coming. Your Aunt Jenny came all the way from Ottawa to be there with us. The surgery was relatively minor. The doctors punctured the ureteroceole at the end of the extra ureter in your bladder. They didn't even have to make an incision because they went up through the urethra. When you came out of surgery you didn't want to wake up (I think you were enjoying that deep sleep from the general anesthetic). Once you woke up, you had some sugar water (from a bottle no less!). We got to take you home that morning, and we all had a nap because we were pooped (you had to be at the hospital for 6am!). You had to have a catheter in for 5 days after your surgery, and let me tell you, you did not like that at all. It was a big relief for all of us when that came out as you had to have this double diaper on the whole time, and it was hard to bathe you and you couldn't be in your jolly jumper. No fun at all. Plus, you couldn't touch your "dragon" with the catheter in, and that seems to be your new favourite pastime during baths and diaper changes. And so the life long love affair begins. Boys and their dragons...good times.

Your next surgery won't be until the new year so we get a bit of a break for the next while. You are a busy little guy and you want to crawl so badly, I think you will be on the move before I know it. I'm not sure I'm ready for you to be mobile. You can now do a full pushup, and you wiggle your butt back and forth with all your might. You can pretty much sit up on your own, though you still have the tendency to topple over after a few minutes. If I put you in your crib in one direction, I can guarantee you will be in the exact opposite direction within minutes. Max, you also extremely strong and wiggly. It is getting hard to change your diaper as you seem to be able to squirm your way out of your diaper and this can sometimes be very messy. There have been several poopy diaper incidences that have left both of us pretty much covered in poop and requiring immediate bathes. You tend to do this when I am on my own, with no help from your dad. When he gets home from work I regale him with stories about how you pooped up to your neck, then rolled in it, stuck your feed in it, grabbed your feet with your hands, then rubbed your belly with your hands...you get the picture. The best part is you think this is hilarious, so while I am standing there, frozen, trying to figure out what to do, you laugh and laugh and laugh. And so the poop humor commences.

You have started to sleep a bit more for us, though it tends to be hit and miss from night to night. Sometimes you cry out in your sleep, and I go into your room and rub your back until you fall back asleep. Your dad is not as strong as me, and if he had his way, we would pick you up every time you cried. Since I am the one who stays up with you, I have to be the strong one so that you will learn to fall back asleep on your own. It has been bad luck in the past to post specific progress updates, so I'm not going to say anything here. But keep doing what you are doing, mommy appreciates it!

Max, your dad and I are so blessed to have you. You are thriving in every sense of the word. Every day you smile, laugh and babble more. You are learning how to use your hands (I call you Mr.Grabby) and you have figured out how to suck on your toes. You bring a smile to my face every time I look at you and I can't remember what life was like without you.

Love,
Mom

P.S.: Your dad and I went on our first date a few weeks ago! We went to see the Dixie Chicks in a luxury box at the ACC, and while I definitely missed you, it was really good for us to go out on our own. Your Grandpa and Nana babysat for you and they said you did just fine.

1 month | 2 months | 3 months | 4 months | 5 months

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Sick x 3 = My House.

Hey everyone. We've been taking turns being sick in my house, starting out with me, then Max. Then my mom went into the hospital. Then Max and I flew out to BC last Wednesday, only to turn around and come home on Saturday when it was clear that a) we weren't going to get to see my mom at all because she was in the hospital, b) Max was sick, disoriented and feeling like 10 pounds of poop in a five pound bag, and c) I was getting sick in a hurry. So, we came home only to find one sick Scott. That makes us one sorry sac of sickies. Boo! Ah well, misery loves company. I just feel bad for Max though, who is experiencing his first cold, and sounds like a little seal when he coughs. Heartbreaking really. I thought I would post some pics from before we all got sick. Much cuter than how we all look currently.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Max and his homey Leith.

Last night Scott, Max, and I went over to our friends' Saeed and Jennifer's house to meet their little dude Leith (pronounced Layth). Also in attendance was our friend Steve (who really really likes babies). There is a joke in there that you will only understand if you know Steve. I took a bunch of pics, but mine weren't as good as Saeed's, so I stole his and the accompanying comments.

"So last night I was hangin' with my homey, Max"
"We talked about sports and politics all evening..."
"...the US involvement in the Muslim world..."
"...and got into a bit of trouble for our differing views."
"So then I told him all about my conquests with the ladies"
"Which for some reason he didn't believe"
"I think maybe he was jealous of my suave demeanor...but he is a ladies man himself"
"Seriously, there were these two chicks checking us out all night..."
"What? These were our moms? Dude, we need to get out more..."

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Maxwell Hunter: 5 months old.

My dearest baby Max,
What a month! Remember how I was saying last month that you were sleeping 7 to 9 hours straight? Sweet memories my boy...I only wish you were sleeping that much. These days I'm lucky if you sleep 4 hours straight. Don't worry, I still love you super duper, I would just really really like to get some sleep some time soon. People keep telling me that once you start solids next month it will start to get better and I can only hope. I think the constant waking is due to teething - you seem to be getting a whole wack of teeth. Unfortunately, the only time you let me see into your mouth is when you are wailing...and boy can you ever wail. The good thing is that you still have lots of smiles and you could melt the polar icecap with those smiles kid.

We decided to move you into your crib this past month, which means you nap in there and you sleep in there for the first part of the night. Once you wake up, I bring you into bed with us. I never understood the appeal of king size beds, but now I do, because you like to stretch out like a starfish. You are also quite noisy when you wake up and want to eat. Between the lack of room, and the rowdy partying in the wee hours, your dad has had to start sleeping the guest room during the work week so he doesn't end up napping under his desk at lunch. Sometimes he comes in to sleep with us once you have settled down and when he does you rest your head on his shoulder - big points buddy, keep it up!

Surprise, surprise, you have continued to grow like a weed, we put your 6 month clothes away this month and pulled out your 9 - 12 month clothes. At your 4 month checkup you were 17.5 pounds, 27.5 inches. We need to weigh you tomorrow, but I'm guessing (based on how tired my arms get when I carry you) that you are 19 pounds, 28.5 inches. We will also be installing the new car seat tomorrow because you have outgrown the travel system car seat that was supposed to last us until you were a year old. Ah hem.

Max, your dad is going to have to have a word with you about the whole girls thing. You continue to play your two girlfriends Maya and Charlotte off against one another. I think at some point you are going to have to fess up and come clean with these girls. Also, something to take into consideration is that Charlotte's dad, he gets to carry a gun as a part of his job. So, uh, yeah, maybe not so much. I think he lets you have some leeway because you share his birthday, but that won't last forever.

When Maya comes over, your favourite pastime seems to be drooling contests. I think you may have her beat as we go through about 5 bibs a day. Drooling increases tenfold when you get in your jolly jumper or exosaucer (this might have something to do with your excitement to be bouncing or making noise). Maya has also taught you how to squeal at decibles that can break glass. Samba is not particularly fond of this, and I can't blame her. I love that you are exploring your voice, you provide us with endless entertainment and conversation (oh really? it's true!).

We are ready for you to be on the move as you are mastering the art of rolling over, just about sitting up (you'll have that sorted out in 2 weeks at most), and have legs that put tree trunks to shame. Also, with all your little girlfriends running around, we need to child proof this house asap. Our friend Mike even made us a custom baby gate with a cat door for Samba. I dropped your crib mattess down a level so that you don't vault yourself over the side (at least not yet). Have I mentioned how challenging it is to change your diaper? You are so strong and wriggly, I'm lucky if I can get your diaper on your butt without you peeing on the change table. Of course you think this is hilarious, which makes me laugh and then the entire thing falls apart. Good thing is you like to be naked (is this a boy thing?) so you don't mind.

What else can I say? Your favourite show is "Blue's Clues", second favourite is "Boo Bah". We took you to the park for the first time this month, but you weren't too sure what to think (maybe it was too windy?). Whenever I take you out anywhere you melt hearts and get lots of smiles from strangers. You are now facing forward in your stroller, so you get to look out at the world and take it all in. You are also quite the trooper. You had your second visit to Sick Kids this past week where you had to deal with 4 different appointments in one day. Your surgery has been scheduled for the end of October. It will be a day surgery, so we will get to bring you home with us. I gotta be honest, I'm a bit nervous, even though I know you will be in good hands. Your next surgery won't be until you are a year old so we will get a bit of a break once this one is over.

bounce bounce bounce!Your dad wanted me to mention that your strongest feature (besides your stunning blue eyes and long eyelashes) is your eyebrows. They continue to grow, just like your hair. To quote your dad, "He's going to be like me, with a unibrow and a mustache in grade 5, and I wondered why I couldn't get a girlfriend."

Love,
Mom



1 month | 2 months | 3 months | 4 months

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Where in the world is Kat?

Tired. So so tired. We were doing really well with the whole sleep thing. Not so much anymore. I'm not sure what happened, but it has all gone to hell in a handbasket. Good news is that Max is one happy little dude during the day. But at night...at night he turns into a wee gremlin. Note to self, do not get Max wet after midnight. Love this kid more than tall buildings. Would love some sleep too, as would Scott.

Monday, September 04, 2006

Beautiful Bouncing Baby Boy.


Max's BGF Maya lent us her Jolly Jumper. As you can see, Max thinks contraption is pretty darn fabulous. And his parents, we love that we have found another way to entertain him.

Friday, September 01, 2006

My son, he likes the blondes.

Max seems to have developed a preference for blondes. And really, who can blame him. I mean, his meal ticket is blonde and he spends a whole lot of time staring up at me while he feasts. This past weekend he even invited a girl into his crib (shock!). I know, seems a bit young to me too. He was on his best behaviour though, as Charlotte's dad works in law enforcement. Max may be a player, but he isn't a dummy.
I'm not sure what Maya, Max's BGF would think if she knew that he had cheated on her with another woman. I talked to him about this and he was all "Mom, it just happened, I don't know what to say". I told him I would keep his secret for now, but he really needed to be careful and not hurt anyone's feelings. He rolled his eyes at me and said "Mooooooooommmmmmmmmm". Sigh. They grow up so fast.
And for those of you that think this kid never smiles because we haven't been very successful at capturing it on camera, let me assure you, he is one happy baby. I took this picture yesterday and I think it may be my new favourite of him. And for those of you that are tired of all my mommy-blogging and want me to blog about something else...well, it's hard to have much energy to blog about movies, tv, and music when you are sleep deprived and lacking brainpower. Bear with me, it will come back, but it will take a while. But really, didn't the season finale of Windfall bite the big one? Or am I the only one watching this show?

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Maxwell Hunter: 4 months old.

My dearest baby Max,
Oh little buddy, you are growing and changing right before my eyes. I swear that every day you are doing something new, it's hard to keep up with you. Just this morning, you finally discovered your toes (after weeks of me pointing them out to you). You looked at them like they were the best toy on the planet. I am guessing it will not be long before you give them a taste test and I will be ready and waiting with my camera! You have also figured out how to put your entire fist in your mouth, which I think you do when your teeth are bothering you. You are quite the drooly boy these days, so I am expecting more teeth soon, plus you have the sucking power of a dyson! Your personality is blossoming and I was just saying to your dad last night that I can't believe that the little sleepy bundle we brought home from the hospital has turned into such a happy, smiley, attentive little boy. I now understand why parents have a hard time not talking about how amazing their kids are all the time.

We were at the grocery store yesterday, and there was a woman there with her baby who looked to be about the same size as you. When I asked her how old her baby was, she said "8 months". Well then. You my little button, are weighing in at a whopping 17.4 pounds and measuring 26 inches in length. You are one big baby - that's the 90th percentile for both height and weight. You are now in your 6/9 month clothes and I am quickly coming to the realization that at this rate you will be in your 12 month clothes by Christmas at the latest. Your dad jokes that you will be the bouncer at your daycare. You are so big that your feet dangle out of the end of your bathtub. You are quite a sight in there, kicking your little feet, splashing up a storm. I think you will be a kid who likes to play in the bath for sure.

You are also a strong little fella. You still don't like tummy time very much, but you are now holding your head up really well, and you know how to roll yourself over so that you don't have to stay on your belly. You are also trying to sit up when I have you propped up on the couch, so I have to keep a close eye on you so you don't take a tumble. Your little legs are also incredibly strong and one of your favourite things to do is to stand in my lap and smile at me. You also like your exosaucer and seem to discover something new about it every day. I like it because you are stuck in there and can't get out, which gives me a few minutes to chill out. Babyproofing has commenced in a big way. We got rid of the glass coffee tables, and are working on making this place a baby friendly zone. Your BGF Maya is on the move now too, so we need to be on top of this.

Speaking of your BGF Maya, you seem to have quite a crush on her mommy Jen. Last week when they came over for a playdate, you sat with Jen and laughed and laughed and laughed for at least a half hour. Also, you now seem much more interested in Maya and you guys like to look at eachother and tug on eachother's hands and feet. We have a standing playdate with Maya and Jen which is good for both of us I think. We are lucky to have them in our lives as they are super awesome.

Sleep has definitely been something you seem to be getting better at. You seem to take after your dad, you are quite the night owl. Most nights you don't go down for good until about 1 or 2am. Then you stay asleep for about 7 to 9 hours. Then I feed you and since I still need cuddle time with my little boy, I keep you in bed with me for a few more hours of sleep. That's nice, keep up the good work! Now if we could move your bedtime back a few hours, that would be great. Since you are so big, I have moved you into the pack 'n play next to our bed. You do this funny WWE wrestling move in your sleep where you lift your swaddled legs straight up in the air and slam them down on the mattress, making your whole pack 'n play shake. Then you gradually scootch your way around from lengthwise to widthwise in the pack 'n play so that by the morning, you have your head 45 degrees from where you started out. Soon you will be too long to fit that way, so I'll be interested to see what you do then.

Your dad has a special touch with you, and when he gets home, you seem very happy to just chill out and relax with him. I like to sit and watch you sit in his lap, happy as can be, my two dudes. Just wait until basketball season starts! You guys can watch the games together and hopefully the Raptors will be decent this year and you won't get bored and fall asleep (though the sleeping part...that's not necessarily a bad thing). When you get tired you get really vocal, and loud...just kind of oohing and ahhing, and groaning. I lay next to you on our bed and I have a hard time not laughing. And if you see me smile it's game over, you know that you have me and you get all wide eyed and flirty and I know there will be no getting you to sleep. Have I mentioned how awesome you are and how much I love you yet? Well you are and I do. More than tall, tall buildings.

You met your grandad this month and let me tell you, you two got along like nobody's business. I joked that you guys started a mutual admiration society and closed membership to everyone else. I knew he was good with kids, but I had to see him in action to fully grasp just how much he loves his grandkids. I am pretty sure that between him and your grandma, you had a lap to sit in for every waking hour of their visit. Your grandma worked her magic on you as well and we finally got another picture of you smiling. They also treated us to a night of babysitting, so your dad and I went out (without you) for the first time since you were born. We even got dressed up, and had a wonderful dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak house. I felt a little anxious for the first 30 minutes but then I was okay. We were only gone for 3 hours, but I was really happy to get home to you. I knew you were in good hands, but it was hard to be away from you. We will see your grandma and grandad soon - the two of us will go for a visit (your first plane ride!) in October. September looks like a busy month as you will also meet your uncle Dan, uncle Chris, and aunt Haschmo for the first time. Also in the works is a visit with little Leith. Looks like we'll be busy and I'm sure you'll keep our hands full!
Love,
Mom

1 month 2 months 3 months