8/11/2015

The Callum Chronicle #7

Filed under: — Aprille @ 10:25 am

Hey there, sunshine-face.

Happy seven months to you.  Your dad has mentioned several times how much fun the second half of the first year of a baby’s life is, and you’re enmeshed in that now.  It’s so much fun to watch you as your level of interaction grows.  We’ve seen evidence of you understanding quite a few words—notably, “Come see Mommy,” which always elicits smiles and leg wiggles in anticipation of me picking you up.  You also gave a big smile this morning when I mentioned “Mubby and Skitter,” and you almost definitely know your brothers’ names.  I had to take you to a PTO meeting last night due to a scheduling snafu, and when you got crabby, I took you out to the hallway.  The school display case has a pamphlet with Miles’s picture on it, and when I grabbed one and showed it to you, you immediately smiled in recognition.  Then you ate the pamphlet.

We just got back from a weekend family reunion with the Beary side of the family, and we’re heading off later today to spend several days in Ames with Mubby and Skittergramps.  You are already suffering from your own version of Attention Deficit Disorder—that’s what I call it when a kid gets accustomed to the constant cuddles and indulgences of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins and gets grumpy when his mom can’t provide that level of input on her own back at home.  I hold you a lot—we use the wrap, we co-sleep, and you spend lots of time just chilling out on my hip.  But I can’t do it all the time and still accomplish the various tasks that need to get done, so sometimes you have to deal with it.  Sorry.

Your dad sent me an interesting article not long ago that talked about the phenomenon of children becoming intensely attached to a stuffed animal or other security item.  According to the researchers in the article, that behavior is not a normal part of child development, as I’d assumed, but rather a coping mechanism kids use to deal with the trauma of having to sleep alone.  I had noticed that neither of your brothers ever got particularly attached to a specific toy—they like their stuffed animals, but there was never one that they absolutely needed.  Maybe that’s because we’ve always slept with our kids when they’re little, so they’ve felt secure without needing special sleep toys.  In any case, I really like having you next to me.  You’re a pretty good sleeper most of the time, and even when you’re sick or teething (which we’ve been dealing with lately), it’s certainly easier to attend to your needs when you’re right next to me rather than going to a different room.  Plus you’re just so sweet and cuddly.  I love seeing your big blue eyes shining up at me as we drowsily adjust to the morning.

You’re doing all the things babies your age do–rolling over, trying to scootch around (without much distance covered yet), grabbing at everything, and doing a lot of babbling.  One thing you’re not very advanced at yet is eating solid foods.  We gave you rice cereal mixed with breastmilk on your six-month birthday, and that seemed to go fine.  Then I gave you some applesauce, which was also fine.  When I gave you bananas mixed with rice cereal and water, you liked it, but two hours later you started violently vomiting.  It was horrible, much more intense than typical spit-up.  I decided that bananas weren’t a good choice for you.  Then, a bit later, I gave you pureed peas with rice cereal and water, and the same thing happened.  Maybe it’s the rice cereal that’s the problem, though that’s surprising since it seemed okay the first time.  I really don’t know.  For the time being, we’re giving your digestive system a rest and sticking to breastmilk and occasional applesauce.  I’m going to try to find some of the squash your brothers liked when they were your age.  You’d better believe I’m going to give it to you straight-up:  no rice cereal.  I’m also going to give it to you at lunch, not at dinner, because two hours after dinner is not a very convenient time to deal with a miserable, heaving baby.

You’ve been having fun lately in the baby backpack, which your dad uses to take you on trips to the park.  Sometimes you fall asleep, but usually you  enjoy your perch.  There’s nothing more fun than hanging out with the big kids.  Your brothers adore you, and sometimes they fight over who gets to play with you.  I’m going to miss having them around once school starts, because I’ve gotten some very productive exercise sessions in due to their help in entertaining you.  On the other hand, we’ll get to start taking morning walks together again, as long as the fall weather stays nice.  I’ve missed doing that.  Your brothers do not have the patience to take a long walk unless there are doughnuts at the end, which is counterproductive to my fitness goals.  We’ll be good walking buddies again soon.

Though we recognize that there may be parental delusion involved, your dad and I are both sure that you’re an exceptionally cute baby.  Everyone wants to take credit for you:  Papa is sure there’s a Crall ancestor out there who looked just like you, and I heard “Isn’t he such a Beary?” last weekend.  I personally see resemblance to your Clarke cousins.  In any case, the genes seem to have meshed together well to make you.  Not only are you cute, we really appreciate your personality.  You’re still so calm and good-natured, happy to be held by anyone who wants to hold you (for now, anyway).  The only time you fuss is when you’re hungry or tired, and those issues are pretty easy to address.  You don’t have any teeth through the gums yet, but every day I check, because I can see them under the surface.  You’ve been doing a lot of chewing lately, too.  I know that by this time next month, you’ll have a couple of teeth, and my time with my last gummy baby will be over.  That does make me feel tender, but I’m also so happy to be getting to know you.  You have completed our family, my sweet love, and I am so grateful for you.

Love,

Mommy

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