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

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Holy sh!t I'm hella tired.

All those obnoxious people who said "enjoy your sleep now cuz you won't be getting any once your baby comes" can bite me. Because really, it's not like you can store up on sleep in advance. It's like they are smirking at your impending exhaustion. Kind of like when someone else falls down the stairs...hilarious. Not that I would change a thing, I still love the little guy, love being a mom, love the smiles, gurgles and all that. But I also miss having time to rub moisturizer on my hands, the desire to shave my legs, having enough brainpower to read a book or remember what exactly I was trying to say. Mommy brain is a definite reality. The other day I tried to use the debit card of a bank account I closed 6 months ago. I went to the store to buy some bread and came home with chips. Sigh. Good times.Max is thriving, he really couldn't be doing better. He is smiling and laughing, holding his head up when he lays on his stomach, and wow is he ever vocal. This kid can talk and talk and talk. No idea what he is saying...but boy can this kid tell stories. The sleeping thing seems to be hit and miss. A few nights ago he slept 7 hours straight. I proceeded to jinx it by emailing my entire family to tell them. The next night he was up every 3 hours. The next night, same deal. Argh. Thing is, even when he sleeps 7 hours, when he only does it once in a while, I wake up every hour to check and make sure he is okay. At least I know he can do it...one day he will do it more often than once in a blue moon.I have started to check out daycares for when I need to go back to work next year. I actually feel ill at the thought of someone else taking care of Max. I have found a good daycare and got Max on the waiting list. Now I just have to reconcile myself with it. And enjoy every minute I get with the little guy. He's just growing too fast.