Month the Eleventh
My little Monkey—
Again, a late newsletter. This one is pretty obvious, though. We had to move 1,300 miles this month and I had to start a new job. It’s been tough being away from you, but I’m getting by alright thanks to your picture on my desk and my desktop. And I get to see you and Mommy at lunch, so that makes the day go by a lot faster.
You’ve been learning to walk this month, just letting go of things and taking off. It was slow at first, just a step and then you’d plop down on your butt, but you’re getting a lot better now.
We’ve also discovered your love for Sesame Street and all things Cookie Monster (and Elmo, too, but I’d rather not embrace that if you’ll let me). You’ll sit on the floor and watch for almost the entire hour that the program runs. You’re turning into a real little boy and not just our cute baby.
You seem to be enjoying Vegas pretty well. You and Mommy go out a time or two each week during the day, and we go to Wal-Mart and other stores the weekends. You kick and squeal and grin the whole time we’re in Wal-Mart (well, for the most part). I think you just like getting to see all that STUFF and all those PEOPLE.
I love you, little man.
Daddy
Comment | Posted Apr 25, 04:30 AM
Month the Tenth
Monkey—
Sorry this is getting out so late, our lives have been crazy lately. By the time you read this, though, you’ll probably know all about it.
In just a week or so, we’re going to be moving to Las Vegas. I know it’s going to be a big change for you, but I’m sure you’ll do fine. You’ll have sunshine and swimming pools, and get to stay with Mommy.
How did this all come about? Well, the day after you turned 10 months old, Daddy flew out to Nevada and interviewed for a job. He got it! So now we’re packing up to move. Or we would be if the tape gun didn’t scare you half to death.
But that’s this month, not last month, and that’s the whole purpose of these posts, you know. To tell about the past month. So what did you do?
Well, you’ve been walking like crazy with the Playschool walker that we got you. It moves pretty fast, so it’s gotten away from you a few times, but never too terribly. You get a huge smile on your face when you’re speeding around the living room.
You’ve also started saying more than “dah dah dah” all the time. “Ma”, “Vah”, and “Bah” have entered your babble-cabulary and you can string them together forever. You’ve also started blowing rasperries again and screaming just for the noise of it.
You have a new favorite food: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Mommy has them for lunch sometimes and you stay right at her side, taking little bites. You always end up sticky and smelling like peanuts.
We love you, Monkey, and, even though it’s going to be tough, this move is what we think is best for all of us; for you, especially.
Love,
Daddy
Comment | Posted Mar 12, 04:30 AM
Month the Ninth
Monkey—
Wow, you’ve really changed this month. Or you sure seem to have to me. You crawl like a speed demon. And not just straight ahead, either. You’ve learned to climb up on footstools and boxes. I guess your nickname is fitting.
You started eating much more solid food this month. These little rice puffs are your favorite. They taste like sweet potatoes and you can’t get enough of them (and at 80/serving, I don’t feel bad letting you eat to your heart’s/belly’s content).
You’ve also started tasting our food. You liked the cheesy jambalaya rice that Mommy fed you the other day, but you don’t really care for meat. Well, I take that back. You really like a chicken noodle dinner thing that Mommy picked you up at the store. It’s pureed vegetables and chicken and noodles and sauce. You probably need the protein, so it’s good that you like it.
You have five teeth now, and a sixth is on its way. And you’re almost walking and standing on your own. You regularly let go of whatever you’re holding onto and just stand there for a few seconds. Mommy and I hold our breath every time.
Well, I guess that’s about it for this month. You’ve started giving Eskimo kisses and waving, melting our hearts every time. You’re the sweetest little boy ever, Monkey. I love you,
Daddy
Comment | Posted Feb 5, 02:50 AM
Month the Eighth
Monkey—
This month saw a couple of big events in your life. First off, it was your first Christmas. Secondly, and related, it held your first roadtrip. You seemed really great with both of them.
You’ve been crawling for a whole month or two, now, and have decided that it’s just too much effort and walking is definitely the way to go. So this month has also been full of you pulling up on everything you can find (the baker’s rack, the piano bench, the couch, Mommy’s pant leg) and then sidestepping your way along it until you can’t go any further. If you can’t find something else to transfer your weight to, you go back the way you came. It’s not the destination that matters, it’s the trip!
Speaking of trips, you did amazingly well on the long drives we took for the holidays. You slept most of the way on all four of the long drives. Two-and-a-half hours to Grandmommy’s house, then four hours to Grandma’s. Mommy and I were both afraid you’d be fidgety or cry the whole way, sick of being strapped down in your car seat, but you were great. Now we’re not so worried about taking you for other trips like that.
Those trips, of course, led to your first Christmas presents. You managed to unwrap a couple by yourself, but I guess it’s not really that amazing of an experience just yet. You definitely seemed to enjoy the toys and presents that you got, though.
Your favorite thing, though, has to be the Baby Einstein DVD you got. I never would have thought there was anything that could keep an 8-month-old completely occupied for 30 minutes, but this can. You even laugh at a few of the gags on it.
The last few days, you’ve been blowing raspberries all day long. You don’t babble as much as you used to, just stick your tongue out and blow for all you’re worth. I don’t know if there’s anything cuter in this world than your spit-covered chin. We love you, little man.
Love,
Daddy.
Comment | Posted Jan 8, 02:02 AM
Month the Seventh
Monkey—
Wow, things sure can change in a month (or so, since I’m once again late in writing this). I know it’s probably a bit repetitive by now, but it really is amazing that you’ve been with us for seven months now (I guess 16 if you count your time in the womb); it just seems like last month you couldn’t hold your head up.
So what all have you learned to do? Well, you can definitely sit up on your own, now. Nothing can stop you except having your butt up against something so you can’t lean back. You also have your Army crawl down to a science, grunting and pulling yourself all around the upstairs.
You’ve started crawling like normal, too. Well, like everyone thinks of crawling, at least. You only go a few steps, but you can do it. I think you’re starting to see the benefits of it. It definitely seems easier, just maybe a little slower at this point. This movement thing is a hit with you, by the way, since it means you can get to all sorts of things that Mommy and Daddy don’t want you to get to, like paper (which you’ve started trying to eat left and right) and cords (electric or otherwise). It almost seems like you like to see one of us jump up to take you away from stuff.
With crawling comes standing. Most of your big toys (and every surface in the house) have become simply platforms for you to push yourself up on. Unfortunately, balance doesn’t come automatically, so you taken some mighty spills, too. Most of them don’t faze you, though, and you just pop right back up again. Those that do are quickly forgotten in hugs and kisses, though.
Grandma and Grandpa bought you a stroller around Thanksgiving. We weren’t sure how you’d like it, seeing as you’ve always been carried, but you seem to really enjoy getting to sit and see the world go by. We haven’t gotten to use it a lot (your first snow kind of cut walks off) but the few times we’ve gone out have been fun for you.
Speaking of Thanksgiving, you loved having everyone in the house, once you got used to Grandpa. Something about his voice just throws you off. By the time our big turkey day rolled around (Saturday, since not everyone could be here on Thursday), you were smiling and playing with all of the grandparents and ready to eat some food. Mommy and Grandmommy fed you some sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce, which you loved. And some mashed potatoes, which you didn’t. It may sound mean, but it’s hilarious to watch you react to food you don’t like: a scrunched up face and full-body shivers.
You’re becoming more and more of a little boy every day, instead of a baby boy. You’re learning to make more controlled sounds and to move around and do things on your own. I’m glad that you’re growing up into such a strong boy. But I hope you never outgrow needing your Mommy and me.
Love,
Daddy.
Comment | Posted Dec 10, 01:19 AM
Month the Sixth
Sweet little Monkey—
I know this is coming in almost 2 weeks late, but I just haven’t had time to write. We’ve been very busy around the house lately with Mommy getting a new position at work and Daddy having phone interviews at least once a week. You’ve also been keeping very strange schedules since the time change, so things have been hectic. Oh, by the way, you and hour-long skips in time do not get along well.
So, what’s new this month? Well, you’ve gotten in two of your teeth. The front two on the bottom. Cute little white chiclets of teeth that you’re using to scrape and gnaw on everything. And, to top it all off, they’re coming it crowded! Yep, the only two things in all those gums and they’re right on top of each other. I hope your adult teeth come in neater than these.
With teeth comes the joy of eating. You’re not so sure you like this idea, but you’re definitely happy to try new stuff out. Your Mommy and I are having problems keeping up with all the things you’ve tried. Sweet potatoes, peas, squash, apples, and bananas have all been hits so far. Avocado caused you to cough and hack, so I guess you’re not ready for it yet. And you don’t really care for things with texture, since, up to now, it’s all been liquid. You’ll get over that, I’m sure.
You got to dress up for a Hallowe’en party at Autie Jennifer M’s house this year. We were gonna take you as a monkey (ha!), but you were way too big for the costume, and they didn’t have your size when we went back. So you went as a spider (our little spider Monkey), that, due to bad costume design, had 12 legs. Anyway, you were super-cute and everyone thought so. You didn’t really care for the party, though. You started screaming just a bit after we took you in. Too many people, I guess. You calmed down soon enough, though, and enjoyed half the evening hanging out with Auntie Toia.
I guess I’ll keep this month short and sweet. You’re becoming a much more full-bodied and -minded child every day. I see new things light up in your eyes and see your mind just whirling to take it all in. Your Mommy and I are amazed by you everyday, and I know I say that all the time, but it’s completely true. You’ll never stop making us proud and amazed, though.
We love you,
Daddy.
Comment | Posted Nov 8, 04:23 PM
Month the Fifth
My little Monkey—
So you’ve made it through another month. It’s hard to believe that next month will have been a half-year of having you around. Your Mommy and I can’t imagine life without you and it’s like you’ve always been a part of our lives, now. I think the kitty has even come to terms with it; he still gets fed, so another pink thing in the house is nothing to lose sleep (ha!) over.
You’ve started trying to talk to your Mommy and I a lot more. You make so many sounds now, most of them with your fist jammed firmly in your mouth. We still haven’t had any luck with “Mama” or “Dada”, but we know we will someday. Sadly you’ve stopped sticking your tongue out all the time. You’ve started licking things, though, so that’s an alright trade-off, I guess.
You can roll over anytime you want, now, and you’ve been using this to thrash around in bed before bedtime, and to explore the upstairs during the day. I’ve caught you tugging on bag straps and licking the piano bench leg. You’re really into the piano, actually; banging away on it with Mommy, and rolling under it to press on the pedals when you’re playing by yourself. Maybe you’ll want to play it for real when you get older.
You can sit up pretty much by yourself; still a little wobbly. But your biggest movement change has been your half-crawl. You stick your butt in the air with your face on the ground, then push with all the strength your toes can give you. You scootch around like this, an inch at a time, all over the bed and the blanket we put down on the floor for you. If you could just figure out the arm part, you’d have crawling down already. Soon.
Your Mommy and I are amazed by you every day. You smile and laugh at us more and more every day. You talk to us, and you’ve taken to yelling into Mommy’s neck while you pull her hair. We know it’s all just part of you learning and growing up. Our little boy isn’t just a baby anymore. Of course, we’ll love you no matter how grown up you may be.
Love,
Daddy/Papa
Comment | Posted Sep 29, 05:08 AM
Month the Fourth
Hey Monkey—
You turned four months old last week. I’ve been really busy trying to get a site done so I can start looking for a job, so I didn’t have time to write, but I’ve finished that, and you’re snoozing on the couch with me right now, so I have a few moments to tell you what you’ve been up to.
Your most amazing achievements this month have all been in your movements. You’ve learned to roll over from your back to your tummy. This apparently requires a grunt each time, which is usually followed by a fart or two. You can’t seem to do it enough, constantly rolling away from Mommy when she tries to diaper you. You haven’t quite figured out the power of continually rolling to get somewhere, though, so we can keep track of you pretty easily.
You’ve also gotten really strong at sitting up. We have to support your sides so you don’t topple over, but your back and forth movements are all yours. This has helped you immensely in playing with toys and knocking over your new favorite toy, bottles.
I think you’ve also started to learn your name. Sometimes, every once in awhile, you’ll look over at us when we call you. You’ve also learned to yell and scream, both in happiness and anger. You use this constantly to assault your mother and I. And the dog, since your squeals and cries set her howling.
You’re an amazing little man, Monkey. Your mother and I have been saying that to each other over and over again this month and I’m sure we’ll keep saying it in the coming months. You light up every day of our lives.
Love,
Papa
Comment | Posted Sep 5, 09:29 AM
Communicating the End
I know I said something about posting about EC in the last post, so here ya go. I’ve gotten a few questions about it in the meantime, so hopefully I have some idea of what to explain.
First off, no, we’re not potty training Monkey at three months of age (we started EC at two months, actually). EC is not potty training, as you aren’t training the kid about anything. If anyone is getting taught anything, it’s Elaine and I. We’re learning to read his (increasingly) subtle signs that he needs to go to the potty. His squirms and grunts and even funny looks tell us that he needs to pee or poop. Or, like most parents learn, that he needs to burp. Now that he’s started teething, the signs are a bit harder to read, of course, but they’re still there.
No, this isn’t something cruel or unusual. Babies learn over the months and years of their infancy to poop and pee on themselves in their diapers, to be alright with having crap up against their skin. And we, as parents, get used to the sight and smell of it, and we get used to treating diaper rash, a potentially never-ending battle. Then, when one-and-a-half or two-years get here, parents and children both are thrust into this strange limbo of learning to go on the toilet. The kids are suddenly expected to be alright with their butts hanging over nothing; the soggy, close comfort of the diaper is now a no-no. Parents, on the other hand, are suddenly responsible for explaining why it’s better to not go in the diaper (even though it’s so easy and it’s been the norm for the past two years), and try to teach the kid to spot the warning signs of having to go. Stress is a bad thing no matter how old you are.
As for it not being unusual, go anywhere in the world that isn’t North America and most of Europe (I think EC is pretty common in Scandinavia, but I could be mistaken). It’s almost the default in Asia, as Tessie pointed out to me on AIM. She told me of seeing babies carried around with the backend of their onesies cut out. She didn’t realize what it was for, but it’s all about the EC. In India and Pakistan, you’ll often see mothers carrying a naked baby with them on the train, taking it outside when the train stops and hissing at it, which is quickly followed by a stream of pee. Then mother and baby get back on and ride to the next stop. It’s not like they can really just hop into a bathroom with a changing table and slap on a new diaper. The same stories hold true for Africa and the Middle East.
And just how do you think babies’ bodily functions were handled before we had diapers? Do you think mothers would really have taken the time to clean a piece of cloth or leather every time a baby soiled it, just to have it soiled again in a few moments? No, they’d hold the baby away from them while it did its business, then put the kid back in its wrap or papoose or whatever and go about their housework and chores.
So, that’s what we do with Monkey, more or less. When he needs to go, we trot into the bathroom with him, take the diaper off (yes, we still use diapers, but a significant number less than we did before EC), tell him to “pee-pee” or “poo-poo” and he goes. Sometimes right away, sometimes after a few moments (minutes, in the case of #2). Once he’s finished, a few wipes with Kleenexes or toilet paper, and he’s ready to be re-diapered (yep, with the same one. If it’s not dirty, that is).
It doesn’t come quickly or easily to all parents, mind you. It was pretty fast for us, thankfully, but I can see there being real problems. If you don’t get to spend a lot of time with your child, forget it. You basically have to be a baby-wearing hippy like we are to pull this off. Sorry, moms and dads with little ones in day care. And it takes time. We’ve been doing it for almost two months and we still miss several pees a day. We pretty much catch every poop, but those are easier. According to sites and books we’ve read, it can take just as long to learn all the signs as it does to potty train (like the “norm” in America). But, there’s a definite good side.
EC kids are typically fully “potty aware” by 14 or so months. What does that mean? Well, that means they can alert you to their bodily functions. You don’t have to be on the look out all the time. So there’s one of the hurdles of potty training. Secondly, they’re not used to a dirty diaper. So sitting down on a toilet is no big deal (especially since they sell EC toilets for smaller children. We already have one.) and there’s no fear of the open air or anything. So the final potty training, teaching them to go in the toilet, is usually a matter of weeks instead of months. Sometimes days.
Anyway, it’s working for us and we plan to keep doing it for Monkey and any future children. We won’t know if we absolutely love it or not for another year or so, until we reach potty training and all that junk, but it seems to work great so far. He smiles and laughs everytime we take him into the bathroom, and he hasn’t had diaper rash since we started. If you want to find out a bit more, here are a few sites:
Comment | Posted Aug 16, 01:56 PM
Month the Third
So you turned three-months-old a week or so ago. A lot has happened this month, actually. You’ve really started growing up and doing the things that parents think of when they think of their baby.
First off, you’ve started babbling and gooing a lot more. You’ll giggle and coo at us for minutes at a time (I know that doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a lot when you haven’t had any!) and we’ll keep repeating whatever phrase set you off to try and get a few more lines out of you. You got to spend a week or so with your grandparents on my side, and you loved giggling and talking to your grandpa. I could see his heart melting with each gurgled sound.
Secondly, and just this past week or two, you’ve started on the long road of rolling over. You used to hate tummy time, but this month you’ve started enjoying it more and more, mostly ‘cause you can finally hold your head and chest up all the way. We entice you with toys on a blanket and soon you’re grunting and rolling from tummy to back and smiling the whole time. You almost went over to your tummy again one time, but just didn’t have the control yet. Still, your Mommy and I are already seeing how you’re going to start moving around the house soon, changing our lives yet again.
You and I have gotten into a bit of a groove with our days alone. You’ve finally decided you like sleeping in a bit, and I’ve finally gotten to where I can sleep alone with you in the bed. Well, ‘sleep’ isn’t quite the right word. I can nap deep enough to not hear the TV, but still jolt awake as soon as you move or whimper. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than how we used to be.
Our days are filled with you eating and playing and sleeping, pinning me beneath you wherever you happen to be at the time (usually in the rocking chair). I’ve been able to get you to sleep while laying on the couch lately, though, so that means I can get stuff done while you nap. That means I can still walk and move when Mommy gets home. That’s a good thing.
The last amazing thing you’ve done this month is learn about EC. When you need to pee or poo, and Mommy or I see the signs, we take off your diaper and hold you over the sink and you go. It started off a bit rocky, since we didn’t know all of your signals, but now that we catch most of them, you haven’t had a poopy diaper all month. Well, maybe one. We’re amazed and supremely proud of you for how well you’ve taken to it. You’ll sit there in our arms, bare-butted and smiling, happy to be clean and rash-free. I know it’s worked for billions of babies worldwide, but it’s still awe-inspiring to see it in our own bathroom.
Love,
Papa
Comment | Posted Aug 6, 12:00 PM