5/14/2015

The Callum Chronicle #4

Filed under: — Aprille @ 7:14 pm

My squishy  Callum,

You are an on-the-go baby.  This isn’t really by your choice.  With two big brothers who always need to be taken somewhere or picked up from somewhere, you get dragged along.  You have no regular nap time (and may never), because it seems like there’s never an hour when I can put you down without interruption.  You take catnaps on my lap or in the car, and that’s all fine with me because you’ve been doing a very good job sleeping at night.  You’re always a good sport about being dragged to all the places your brothers need to go.  You are a popular guy at West Music, where we hang out while Miles takes piano lessons.  You and Tobin went to Miles’s school yesterday to help his class do some gardening, and you didn’t squawk a bit.  All the kids wanted to hold you, but I made them stick to talking to you.

I think you’re probably ready for a size-up in diapers, because you’ve leaked a few times lately.  I buy the super-jumbo-sized laundry detergent because I do so much laundry, and this morning I used the last dregs of our old super-jumbo-sized container on the poo-stained sheets.  When I went down today to check on the sheets in the dryer, I saw that the brand new detergent container had fallen onto the floor.  The lid came off and half of the detergent went down the drain, which is fortunately located right near where it fell.

What I’m saying is no more leaking diapers, okay?  I need to make the remaining half of the detergent last a while.

You’re just big enough to stay in the exersaucer for a few minutes at a time, which is useful for when I want to make dinner or shriek in horror at the laundry detergent situation.  You’re not quite strong enough to balance in it by yourself yet, so you get grumpy if you have to lean against the sides for too long.  You do enjoy the little farm animals and noise-making dealies on the rim, though.

You’re starting to become interested in a variety of toys, which is nice, because sometimes handing you a toy will keep your attention for a few minutes.  You’ve also done my very favorite thing that babies around your age do:  discovering your feet.  The weather has fluctuated lately, so you’ve had a chance to explore them both nude and covered.  Baby feet are pretty wonderful things, so I’m glad you have the chance to enjoy them.

You’ve also started sucking on your fingers pretty fervently.  I hope that’s just because they’re right there and have a nice flavor, because a thumb-sucking habit is not something I want to have to break.  You don’t do it as you doze off to sleep, so I guess that’s a good sign.

I was gone for a while the other night getting my hair cut, and you had one of your frequent evening melt-downs.  I feel so bad for your dad when that happens, because usually you two get along great.  In fact, tonight when he got home from work, you immediately snapped out of the slightly crabby mood you’d been in and started smiling and laughing at him.  But the witching hour witches you pretty seriously some nights, and you were angry and frustrated by the time I got home.  Usually I can calm you down immediately, but that night you maintained your freak-out for quite a while.  I don’t know if that’s because I looked different with a new cut and color or because I smelled different, all coated in salon products I don’t usually use.  Maybe you were just plain tired and mad.  You did eventually chill, so I guess you’ve accepted that superficial changes don’t alter my ability to care for you.

I wish it had been that simple a few weeks ago when we went to Des Moines for a special surprise birthday party for Nana.  Normally you’re such a sweet and calm-natured kid, but that night you wigged out and simply could not be re-wigged.  I feel bad because it was your first time seeing a lot of those family members, and they got a very out-of-character impression of you.  We just spent time with Aunt Oxana, Uncle Tyler, and cousin Aleks, and Tyler kept commenting on how calm and pleasant you are.  Of course, he’s the dad of an extremely curious and energetic almost-toddler, so anyone who mostly sits still probably creates quite a contrast.

You may yet explode out and become a wildman.  It’s hard to tell just yet.  I got my picture of you in the same little hooded baby outfit your brothers wore at this age, and looking at the three of you, it’s hard to remember a time when I didn’t know their personalities.  We’re getting to know you, sweet Callum, but you still have a lot to do in your growth and development.  For now we’re enjoying your smiles, giggles, and tolerant nature.  You made one of your first attempts to communicate with me today (besides crying and smiling).  We were at West Music waiting for your brother to finish his piano lesson, and I was holding you on my lap.  You’re normally fine in that position, but today you kept shifting yourself over so you were cradled in my arms.  That’s not something you ordinarily go for during regular hang-out times, because you like to look around.  It took a few times of you doing it, but then I realized—duh—you wanted milk and you were assuming the position.  I thought it was pretty cool that instead of crying, you found a way to tell me what you wanted while maintaining your mood.

Happy four months, my little guy.  We’ve got a fun summer coming up, and with your brothers around, I bet there will be even fewer traditional naps.  But life is for experiencing, and I love experiencing it with you.

Love,

Mommy

Photo by Beth Clarke

 

 

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