Be Honest... You Hated Me, Right?

Kay. So I was feeling really bad that I didn't write a letter to Kyle when he turned six months old. I went back into my blog archives to see what I wrote about when Rhys was six months, because I knew I was much more 'on top' of this blog thing back then. 

And BARF. This post is the post I found. Gawd, I was so HAPPY back then. When I showed it to Warren he said in disbelief "Who IS this woman? Was I married to this woman?". I guess I'm a bit of a grumpy bear lately (or, as my friend Keri put it, 'wound up'). I will assume that everyone who read that post secretly hated me and my 'perfect' little baby who slept so well.

Well, Mr. Kyle is a pretty perfect baby, despite the interrupted sleep he gives us these days. We're working on it.

So here I am, FINALLY, posting some pics of this sweet little boy, at his half-point trip around the sun.

"Look, I can sit and play with my big brother!"

curly toes

"Finally! Real food."

So advanced. Doing puzzles already.

Pushing my chest off the ground.

Up on my hands and knees.

Wowza! I'm ready to go!

Some Kyle stats:

- Started crawling at 5 months

- Started pureed foods at 5.5 months

- Started sitting at 6 months

- Still has not slept through the night (12 hrs)

- Still nursing

- Laughs and smiles a lot

- Had his first 'mum mum' at just over six months

- Weighs 16lbs

- Eyes are turning from vibrant blue to blue/grey like Warren's

- Still not much hair

Tummy Troubles

As I've mentioned before, Kyle is a Snuggle Bug. He is quite happy to fall asleep in your arms, and when he's really dozy his favorite position is tummy-to-chest. Since he was born, this meant that to put him in his crib, we had to flip him to his back to sleep...because 'back is best', doncha know. But he would always freak out. His arms would shoot out in front of him like he thought he was falling, in that newborn reflex kind of way. Swaddling him didn't help, it only made him angry.

So, at first, he slept on us a lot, and his crib and bassinet stayed empty. But that couldn't last forever. We got desperate. So we started to transfer him from our chest, to his crib...without 'flipping' him.

*GASP*!!! I know. It was an awful, awful feeling. The general consensus these days is that, because tummy sleeping is a known risk factor for SIDS, I was sentencing him to death by putting him to sleep on his tummy. But it was that, or risk smothering him in my sleep as he slept on my chest.

I told my baby doctor, and she wasn't overly reassuring. I expected her to say 'oh, lots of babies sleep on their tummies!', but instead she pointed out that I was increasing his risk, even though it was the most minuscule increase, and that I need to do what is within my comfort level (you know, how comfortable am I risking his life every night...!!!) and make sure he is on a very flat surface, with no blankets, blah, blah, blah.

So, with that guilt trip in mind, I kept 'trying' him on his back, in the hopes that one day it would just click in his brain that his back felt great! Still hasn't happened. He mocks me by happily laying on his back when he's awake, kicking about and such.

There are a couple 'pros' to tummy sleeping though...

1) His neck has always been very strong.

2) He has never needed official 'tummy time'.

3) He has a perfectly shaped head.

4) HE ROLLED FROM FRONT TO BACK LAST NIGHT, before his two month birthday! Rhys did that for the first time when he was 2.5 months (proof here in the OMG VIDEO). Kyle was in his crib sleeping on his tummy, when I heard him start to cry. I picked up the monitor to check on him and HE WAS ON HIS BACK. I of course had to go in and flip him back to his tummy so he could fall asleep.

Good job little man. We'll have you walking by six months, I know it ;)

Rhys At Age Two: Things I Love & Don’t Love

LOVE: Massively improved communication methods.

DON’T LOVE: Massively exaggerated meltdowns when improved communication methods fail.

LOVE: Ability to eat almost anything we eat.

DON’T LOVE: That he chooses not to eat most it.

LOVE: Frequent 10 second ‘hug’ breaks.

DON’T LOVE: The squirming-away-from-me-crotch-kicking that ensues when the 10 seconds is up.

LOVE: That he has his own distinct interests (helicopters, airplanes, balloons, dinosaurs, Elmo, robots, guitars).

DON’T LOVE: His desire to satiate all these interests at the exact. same. time.

LOVE: How much he idolizes his Daddy.

DON’T LOVE: The tears that flow when Daddy has to leave.

LOVE: The full on lip to lip kisses (and the Eskimo kisses are pretty awesome too).

DON’T LOVE: Knowing that the he will someday recoil is disgust at the thought of kissing his mom.

LOVE: The sweetest little voice in the whole wide world, and hearing that voice say ‘Mommy’. Tack-u mommy. Bess you mommy. Go away mommy (okay, maybe not that one).

I've been trying to capture his sweet voice on camera, but he always gets distracted as soon as he sees the video camera. He just wants to 'watch Rhysie' (I think we're raising a narcissist). Anyway, here are my best clips so far.

Rhys ABC's:

TWO: A Birthday Post In Pictures

A Tale of Two Portraits

Waaaaay back when Rhys was 14 months old (he's 22 months old now, doncha-know!) Warren picked him up from daycare like any other day, but this time he announced:

Warren: Sooooo.....ya. Today was picture day at daycare.

Amanda: Um. EXCUSE ME? But he was wearing his BUG SHIRT! And I'm pretty sure it has a stain on it! Did you know today was picture day?

Warren: Ya. But I forgot.

This truly felt like failure as a mother. To not commemorate my son's first 'class portrait' by dressing him in a snazzy outfit. Now all I could do was wait and see how it turned out.

Behold:

Rhys 14 months old, First Class Portrait

I have to admit, at the time I was somewhat horrified. His cute little Mona Lisa grin, his adorable little hand gripping the chair arm, his charming little shoes...all overshadowed by his lack-lustre, scrubby clothes.

But now, I love how the portrait captures his sweet young self, and I don't even notice the clothes.

Then when he was 19 months old another photographer was scheduled to come take photos (it's quite the booming business, these portraits). I was not going to let the same thing happen, so a handsome knit sweater did the trick.

I love the 'old school' style of the first portrait, and I love the candid , modern style of the second two. My little man takes a good photo, no matter what his silly mom dresses him in.

19 Months

Rhys, at 19 months old you....

...are graduating from the ‘baby class’ at daycare. You’re now in the ‘pre-toddler’ class.

...wake up very grumpy most days, and we can’t figure out why.

...generally don’t like eating in your high chair or booster seat, and have no patience for eating dinner. At meal time, after a fight to get you in your chair, you will promptly pick up your bowl or plate and announce ‘Dun! Dun! Dun!’ before even taking a bite.

...still like broccoli.

...would live on bananas and plain rice cakes if you had your way. And maybe oatmeal and yogurt and cheese on special occasions. And spaghetti if the Queen was visiting.

...love your ‘didi’ (soother) with a passion unseen by humanity in recorded history.

...like to colour and play with stickers and play-doh.

...say the following words (some took us a while to figure out):

• Ay-pane (airplane)
• Ah-Dun (All done – usually after dinner or a bath)
• Kanye (colouring)
• Up (open or up)
• Nana (Banana or Nana)
• Cah-Cah (Cracker, referring mostly to rice cakes)
• A-pole (Apple)
• Bid (Bed)
• No
• Book
• Simmee (Shimmy – From the Wiggles song ‘Shimmy Shake’)
• Bite – There is a book you have with pictures of animals and things – penguin, duck, monkey, butterfly, flower, carrot – and everything in this book ‘bites’ according to you. You say ‘bite!’ and put your wrist up against it. Totally odd. You’ve never been bitten or nearly bitten or anything. What are they teaching you at daycare?! Who’s teaching you that a carrot can bite your wrist?
• Emmo (Elmo)
• Quack Quack (Duck or Bird)
• Raaarrrr (Lion or dinosaur)
• Baddy (Bradley – my mom’s dog)
• Poop (you usually announce when you are going poop – especially if we’re in Chapters and there are lots of people around – I’m thinking it might be time to start potty training?)

One and a Half

Rhys, today you are a year and a half old and I can hardly believe it.

Some days, however, you seem more like a two year old, so I shouldn't be that surprised. I've heard of the 'Terrible Twos' and some moments feel like you're already there.

You've got personality. You've got attitude. You've got preferences. When you decide you like something, you want it all the time. When you learn a new word, you say it all the time. Without a doubt, you are the ruler of our house and I challenge myself everyday to remember that your dad and I are the grown-ups and we are in charge. Because it rarely feels like we are.

I've been reminiscing a lot lately about your newborn days, and how back then I could place you, in my mind, in a perfect little box that contained all my hopes, dreams and expectations for you and who you would grow up to be. You are busting out of that box everyday. Each day reminds me that you are your own little person. I do not control your feelings, your moods or your interests. As much as I'd love to have control over some of those things, at least some of the time, I'm glad I don't, because it's been a lot of fun getting to know you. A movie, a story, a book - they're all more exciting when you don't know what's coming next.

Rhys, you are a clown. And I love you, Bubsy.

(Rhys wearing his mama's new EMU boots. He said 'Booo, Booo!' and, with a bit of a struggle, but the boots on all by himself.)

First Haircut

A few weeks ago we took Rhys for his first 'real' haircut. Up until now I've always trimmed it myself. Warren would mock the results and beg me to take him to a professional. But I always thought 'what can they do that I can't?'. Turns out, the pros actually know what they're doing.

Here are some pics I took of Rhys' morning hair one day...these are the pics that prompted me to book the appointment:

'Before' Shot at Beaners:

After:

He RAN to the pink Barbie Jeep (they had the army jeep reserved for him, but this one caught his eye first!):

16 Months

Dear Mr. Rhys,

The months since your first birthday have whizzed by, and they've been filled with highs and lows. One thing I'm learning about 'having kids' is that it's easy to gloss over each passing stage, and forget the miserable bits. This is because there is a beautiful bright light that you emit into our lives, no matter how crumby a time we're having at any given moment. I want to make an effort to document our growing pains, and joys, with the same detail.

Joys:

• Watching you LEARN. The child rearing books are right...mind numbing repetition works. It's hard to describe the elation I felt when I turned the page of your picture book (that we'd seen dozens of times) to reveal an image of a train, and unprompted you instantly pumped your fist in the air and proudly whispered 'tsuu!tsuu!', and then smiled up at me for reassurance. "THAT'S RIGHT BABY! Choo Choo Train!!". In that moment you taught me that even though you are not yet talking, you are most certainly LISTENING. And absorbing. And interpreting. And storing. You are already more complex than you appear. I am so proud. You get more and more words by the day (I use the term 'word' loosely - more like syllables that your dad & I recognize as words) but you still don't say mum or dad. The one true 'word' you have mastered very recently, is NO. You have also learned some of your body parts. You can point to your nose, ears, mouth, feet and belly, and you blink your eyes when asked 'Where are Rhys' EYES?'.

• Watching you develop PREFERENCES. You have developed a love of books, which is lovely, but also exhausting. Sometimes, your dad & I just want you to PLAY BY YOURSELF for a minute. I know that you don't mind hearing nursery Rhymes ad nauseum, but grown-ups can only physically handle so many row-row-row-your-boats before their brains explode. Sorry, Rhys, that's just science. Mama doesn't make the rules of the Universe. You like books, but not all books are created equal. Your favorites right now are your Baby Einstein Look & Seek picture book, your 2 Halloween/Pumpkin books and your 'DOGS' book that has the tabs you can pull that make the tails wag. And your all-time favorite right now is 'Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb'. If I do or say something that reminds you of that book (like recite the words by memory, or drum on my knee with my fingers) you will run to your bedroom, find it on your bookshelf, and bring it to me. Your favorite way to 'read' books, is to point out different pictures on on the page. "Show mummy the....MOON! Show mummy...a STAR!". So far you can identify the following images in a book, with a 90% accuracy rate: moon, star, cow, bumble bee, airplane, frog, elephant, dog, cat, ghost, bunny, pumpkin, bird, bubble, boat, ducky, banana, ball. When you're not sure (or when you just want to make us laugh) you shrug your shoulders and lift your hands in air as if to say 'I dunno'. This is something you must have learned at daycare.

• HUGS. You have finally discovered to joy of cuddling, and will relax in my arms instead of always trying to squirm away. I especially love the 3 second 'hug breaks' you take while playing. "Well, mum's right there, so I might as well give her a hug - oh look, my golf clubs!", and off you go.

Pains:

• MOLARS. You now have 12 teeth, 4 of which are molars. Those evil suckers look huge in your soft toddler gums. We're 80% sure they are the reason your night time sleep habits have gone to hell in a handbag. Ever since you were 2 months old, you have slept like a champion most nights. You spoiled us in that regard. And now, for the last month or so, we're struggling to cope with your 2-3 times a night wake-ups. SCREAMING. Crying. Pouting. EVERY FRIGGING NIGHT. With no fever and nothing visibly wrong, there is only so much Advil, sippy cups full of water and rocking you in our arms that we can do before we begin to wonder if you are really in pain, or if we're somehow creating these bad habits in our attempts to soothe you. The self doubt is almost as agonizing as the lack of sleep.

• MOODS. Because none of us have had a solid, uninterrupted sleep for a very long time, we're all moody. Personally, I get irritable, impatient and some days I just feel angry in general. It really underlines how important the basic need for SLEEP really is. Because when I'm like this, I can see it and feel it but am powerless to turn it around. I just don't feel like myself. Your Dad's lack of sleep usually manifests itself as stress. After a bad night sleep, you will usually just roam the house whining, looking for trouble, touching things you know you shouldn't touch, and tossing your toys on the floor like a spoiled brat. But we FORGIVE ourselves and each other. THIS TOO SHALL PASS. Or so we're told. At least so far it's nothing a good nap can't cure.

• MOBILITY. Rhys, you have no fear, and obviously no concept of danger. You have started pushing items together so that you can climb up onto things. I swear to God Above that I witnessed you nearly ESCAPE from your crib. In the video baby monitor I watched you stand up on some stacked stuffed animals, and simultaneously pull yourself up, nearly doing a somersault over the rail onto your head. Luckily you didn't quite manage it - this time. We may need to invest in a crib tent, though, because 16 months is way too early to move you to a toddler bed.

For my readers who didn't have the energy to read all that (and I don't blame you), here are some pics...:-)

On Rhys' 16 month 'anniversary' we went to the zoo early in the morning.

Rhys was very skeptical of the playground...and the lack of other children in it:

Look - a fake Kangaroo! :

Now...a REAL Kangaroo!:

Lower teeth!:

Rhys & Warren on Remembrance Day 2010:

Rhys did great for the 1st 15 minutes of the ceremony, but predictably started to whine and fuss during the moment of silence. So typical.