Month 14: Off and Running. Literally.

This kid operates at the speed of light. He is in constant motion - sometimes I think just for the sake of motion. He occasionally (accidentally?) breaks into a run every now and then, his arms either in the T-Rex position, or wide open, as if hoping to take flight.

Even when he's sitting down he's still moving, absent-mindedly flapping his arms and legs, or shaking his head so hard he gets dizzy (something he enjoys immensely).

His mind is apparently moving at warp speed too - he wants to read everything in sight. He brings us his books, our books, electronics manuals, DVD and CD cases...anything that vaguely resembles a book. I think my favorite is when he selects a book that is too heavy for him to carry, and hauls it across the floor by a corner.

His vocabulary is increasing too - he now mimics new words, animals sounds (sheep and cow, specifically), and says "bah" for book, ball, and rock. This week he started saying "1, 2, 3" (although it sounds more like "uoh, ooo, eee..."). Oh - and he loves to say "na na" for banana - almost as much as he loves to eat them. He'll down an entire banana as a pre-meal appetizer. If anyone in a two block radius says the word "banana" he screams "na na!!" and bolts for the kitchen, pointing at the banana rack. Unbelievable.

As much as I hate the phrase "a boy's boy", Daniel definitely fits the bill... he's completely obsessed with rocks (and throwing them), bugs, dirt, and getting as dirty as humanly possible during a simple trip to the park. Needless to say, his bathwater turns impressive shades of brown. He loves playing catch, kicking a ball back and forth and even playing basketball with his mini hoop at preschool.

"Ball" is the word du jour, and he has an impressive ability to see balls everywhere. (Last week he was at the park and started yelling "bah! bah! bah!" and running towards a rock bed. We chased across the park to stop him, but once we got there, we realized there was a small pink ball imbedded in the rocks that was impossibly hard to see.)

He naps with as much vigor as he plays, crashing harder and faster than ever before. After a recent trip to IKEA during which he ran and played through every model room display, he fell asleep within ten seconds of being strapped in his car seat. No exaggeration.

All this rough and tumble play has shown us that Daniel definitely inherited my skin - he bruises easily, little bumps turn into red welts, little scratches turn into long white streaks, and his poor face turns beat red in the heat. His teeth are from Fernando though - the rate of entry, at least. We've lost track of what tooth came in when, and even how many are in - our best guess is somewhere around 13 or 14. Maybe more.

Lately, Daniel's favorite games include "scary daddy" (where Fernando simply hides and jumps out with a scary face), "chasing mommy" (I think you get the gist of that one), splashing in the tub, stacking and nesting toys, putting things inside containers, being upside down, climbing stair, and dancing. He loves to dance.

Well, this posting kind of turned into an all-over-the-board update, but I guess those aren't terrible once in a while.

Consider yourself updated!

Month 13: Vampires and Super Fast Slides

So maybe it wasn't a REAL vampire, but Daniel has officially been bitten. Twice. By a kid in his new classroom. My sweet little man - with teeth marks on his skin.

The interesting part about this whole scenario is actually the parental component - Fernando and I react in completely opposite ways to the biting. A few of my friends at work have young boys who have gone through the biting phase - both being bitten and being the biter. (Say that ten times fast.) So in a way, I halfway expected something like this to happen soon. While I'm not thrilled that he was bitten, I'm just glad he wasn't the biter.

Fernando had an entirely different take on the situation. His protective claws came out - in fact, I haven't seen him this angry in a long time. Either he's been watching too much Law and Order, or it's a result from having two younger sisters and looking out for them their whole life. After we were told about the first biting incident, Ferni had to take a long walk and a longer drive to cool off. To protect the family's privacy, we weren't told which child did the biting, and I'm glad. I'm nervous as to what might have happened to the child. Or the parents. (Or the parents' car).

He finally walked back in my office, and simply said, "We better never have a girl" and walked out. It's true - if he's this protective with a son, I cannot imagine what a sweet little girl would do to his nerves.

In happier news, we have been frequenting the local parks nearly every evening. The weather is beautiful, the fresh air is welcome (albeit packed full of allergens and pollution, thank you Phoenix), and the exercise is just enough to get Daniel good and tired (and dirty) before his nighttime bath. The slides are particularly fun, and with Daniel sitting between our legs, some of the slides go breathtakingly fast. Either that or I'm just getting older.

Something about a trip to the park is relaxing to all of us, taking our mind off work stress, and re-focusing us on the important stuff - each other. Sometimes we take balls and toys, sometimes we take dinner and eat in the grass or grill out, and sometimes, like tonight, we just roll up our sleeves and get dirty, playing in the sand and rocks.

I hope we never getting too busy or grown up to stop taking trips to the park.

Month 13: That Blasted Clock

No matter how much I try to enjoy each moment and focus on "the now" and whatever else everyone tells me, it doesn't help. The clock keeps moving forward, and Daniel keeps growing up. This picture blew me away, as suddenly and unexpectedly, he's big enough to play at the park with his friends.

This is his buddy Ava - they've been together since day one for him and week six for her - and until they're old enough to understand it, we consider them betrothed. Daniel followed her all over the park last week, tromping in his new kicks through grass, mulch, blacktop, and a few games of basketball. They played in the swings, with balls, in bubbles, and while eating hot dogs that we grilled with Ava's parents. Spring is here, and Summer is closing in fast - these beautiful evenings don't last long in Phoenix.

This week will be a big one for both Daniel and Ava - they're moving to the next classroom at preschool. It's a big change - naps on mats, eating at a table, playing outside on the playground - but their teachers think they're ready. Last week they visited a few times, checking out the surroundings and meeting his new classmates. I'm convinced the change is harder for the parents than the kids, but something about Daniel being in his first "big kid" environment is hard for me to swallow.

It's just confirms my theory that time is, in fact, speeding up.

Month 13: Nine, Nine, Nine, Nine...

... said the electronic book all the way home from Wal-Mart. We took a quick trip to buy him some more of his favorite things (books!) and Fernando decided to help Daniel learn his numbers. The book he selected has a page for each number, and a button that, when pressed, emits a lovely, soothing, sweet woman's voice saying that number. Daniel loves her already.

About a month ago, he developed an obsession with books. He'll walk straight past all of his toys and dive into his pile of books, either reading to himself as he turns pages, or fishing for a book to bring to us. He'll trek across the house to bring us books, one by one, or climb in our laps until we've read the whole pile. More than once, Fernando has laid down on the living room floor to rest, closed his eyes, and opened them to find Daniel squatting by his side, placing a book in his outstretched hand.

Speaking of squatting, Daniel has become a master-squatter. Those little thunder thighs are incredibly strong, and he'll hold the squatting position for an impressive amount of time - while reading an entire book, splashing in the tub, to pick up a snack on the floor (I know, I know...) or any other activity.

The squat combined with a few other trademark moves have developed into Daniel's dancing routine - most often performed while listening to Crazy Frog's "I Like To Move It, Move It!" Remix. He does the "bounce squat" usually, sometimes clapping or waving his hands. Our favorite is the "hump squat" where he grabs the side of the couch and, well, let's just say we hope he grows out of that dance move before his first high school dance.

Daniel's eating mostly adult food now, with a milk bottle twice a day. And as he discovers more and more wonderful foods, it's getting harder to get those veggies down with a smile. It's like, "Mom - I know that things like chocolate cake and cookies exist... why would I eat that piece of broccoli?!" But we are sneaky parents, and two days ago we discovered that adding lemon juice to any veggie (baby food or finger food) will trick our sweet baby boy into eating said vegetable. Tonight's veggies - lima beans - were a raving success.

I know this posting is already long, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the other two milestones of this week: door knobs and jealousy. I was photographing my friend's twin babies, and Daniel was in the bedroom with Fernando to keep him out of the way. All of a sudden, the bedroom door opens, and his little head popped out, beaming with pride. As you can imagine, we'll need to get a baby gate or two soon... just "closing the door" is no longer enough of a barrier! The other milestone immediately followed the door opening. I was holding one of the two-month-old twins, and Daniel came closer to see. He looked at me, and at at the baby, and completely broke down crying. It was a different cry than I have heard before, and there was no question that he was upset at the sight of me holding a baby. I held the baby towards him so he could see and he (no kidding) smacked her in the face. Luckily, she has a two-year-old older brother, so she's used to rough play and her mom didn't freak out. But it was the first time I have seen Daniel react like that regarding me and another child. Of course it made me feel loved, but also a little nervous, as I'd prefer if he didn't get in the habit of smacking babies on the face.

Last thing... (promise!)... the photo I posted is from this week, while Daniel was taking a nap in Fernando's arms. We took him to the Science Center downtown, and while he's too young for the majority of it, there were quite a few areas that Daniel seemed to love. We explored the whole museum, then sat on the grass outside sharing a raspberry and vanilla sorbet, then Daniel crashed for a quick nap in Daddy's arms on a nearby bench. It was one of those perfect moments - a warm breeze, the air heavy with sweet spring, and a quiet minute to admire our angelic baby and his perfect little features. It's been a good month already.

Month 13: That Kind of Mom

Not sure when it happened, but we have crossed that invisible line from having a baby to having a toddler. Daniel has become a fun, interactive being - he questions, tests, experiments, seeks praise, explores, and seems to have a grand ole time doing all of it.

We've been spending more time at the park recently - letting him play with trees, grass, plants - yesterday, he noticed an ant for the first time. Bubbles have become a favorite - outside or inside. Daniel loves climbing anything, sliding, and swinging in the baby swings. We ran into a friend at the park and put our babies in the same baby swing, back to back. Pretty darn cute. (This pic is from a few weeks ago... but too cute not to post.)

Daniel has mastered the art of pointing to let us know what he wants, or just to hear us say it's name. Sometimes we'll go around an entire room, Daniel pointing at something, we'll say it's name, and he'll move on to another item. He's learning words too - in English and Spanish. Two weeks ago I said "Daniel, donde esta la luz?" and he pointed (repeatedly) to the lamp. He's almost got "cielo", "casa", and "zona" perfected too. HIs default word is always "otro" (it sounds more like "oto" when he says it) which means "other" in Spanish. This all started at his birthday party, when Fernando's mom carried him from balloon to balloon, saying "otro globo". From that day on, I was amazed at how quickly he picked up the concept of "another".

The kid is sprouting teeth like nobody's business - the past two days have been full of drooling and gum pain - poor little guy. I think he's working on #10 and #11. He does enjoy having his teeth brushed - we try to do it in the morning and last thing at night.

Easter passed in a blur - both Fernando and I were working all weekend, so Daniel spent some time during each day with his aunts. I love that they get time with him, and even more, I love that they enjoy it so much. It's funny how he seems to know his family. He's nervous with new people at church - adults that he rarely sees. He turns into a clingy little monkey. But with family - any family - he practically throws himself right at them. My parents came by earlier this month for a quick trip, and Daniel immediately latched onto them. It's been three months since he's even seen their faces, but you would have thought they lived next door. Especially my dad - Daniel claimed him as his own personal toy, and sought him out just to sit in his lap and rest on his chest. Heck - it melted MY heart - I can't imagine what Dad was feeling.

The most recent word du jour has been "ma ma", and while I'm not sure he totally grasps the label, it's nice to hear those little syllables fall out of his mouth on a more regular basis. I feel more connected to him than ever - more wanted and needed. I want to be the kind of mom he'll always need and want to be around. The kind that's good for advice in a tough situation, and good for a long hug after a bad day at school. The kind of mom that can "fix" his ailment, even when it's imaginary. I want him to learn from me that life can be fun, and to always look for the good in each situation - that humor is more than entertainment - it's a way of life. I want to be the kind of mom who won't car when grape juice spills on the carpet, who participates in food fights, and who laughs when she gets mooned by a passing car (which, consequently, happened yesterday. And I did laugh - all the way home). Above all, I want to be the kind of mom who sets an example of faith, of trusting God in every situation, and of always valuing people more than things.

This parenting gig is tough stuff - but I feel up for the challenge. Someone vented to me this week about how irritating it is when parents can't stop talking about their kids. How utterly boring it is to hear. How it's pointless to pour your life into your kids, as they're just going to grow up to be "more of us". After restraining myself from punching his lights out, I just said to call me after he was married with a child... that I wanted to hear him say the same thing then. It's just not possible to imagine before you've experienced it.

Month 12: A Billion Pennies

If I had a penny for every time I thought to myself "I couldn't possibly love Daniel more than I do in this moment", I'd be rich. I am absolutely blown away at what having a kid has done to me, and my ability to focus on something besides myself.

Fernando and I were talking about this last night - how as a person grows up, layers of selfishness get stripped away. (It's just a theory... humor me...) As babies and young kids, we are 100% focused on ourselves. As teenagers we're still selfish, but we've started to notice the world around us more - friends, love interests, maybe even family. As single adults, we might not realize it, but we're still very self-focused in that everything revolves around our plans, our schedule, our life. Once we're married, we learn to put another human before ourseleves, but even that doesn't compare to what happens after a baby is born.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that parents are better people than non-parents, I'm just saying that by necessity, your life is turned upside down in the pursuit of completely caring for another human being. It's fun and exciting and I wouldn't change a minute of it, but that kind of constant unwavering devotion is just not something that's asked of you before having a child. And surprisingly, I don't feel like I have lost any of myself in the process. If anything, I feel more myself than I ever have before - more at home in this role than any prior role.

Daniel's walking, by the way. Started a week after he turned one - he just decided it was time and took off across the room. Within two days he was very confident, and now strongly prefers walking to crawling. Sometimes he still gets excited and those little legs gain a little too much momentum, but I think that will happen for a while still.

Fernando's birthday was last weekend and we got him a giant camping tent (for 7 people so Daniel's pack-n-play fits!). We're going on our first family camping trip this Summer. I couldn't be more excited - Daniel loves the outdoors, sleeps very well in his travel crib, and is obsessed with the pet door on the tent. In and out, in and out.

Even more fun than watching Daniel's physical development is watching his mental growth - his personality is budding before our eyes. He has a great sense of humor - and has started doing things with the sole purpose of making us laugh: funny faces while eating, putting our mixing bowls on as hats, splashing huge in the tub. He is also extremely polite. If he drops something, he picks it up. If we ask him to bring us something and point to it, he goes and gets it and hands it over without question. He seems to derive a lot of joy from making us happy - helps us unload the dishwasher by handing us one plate at a time - will go through his entire lego bucket, handing us one lego at a time just to hear us say "thank you". His teachers at school say he's extremely polite - always shares - and never throws a fit if a toy gets taken away from him.

It's an amazing feeling - pride in your child - because of who they're becoming. My friend had his son's parent teacher conference yesterday, and the teacher had no complaints or corrections - just praises for a well-behaved little boy who was quickly becoming a class leader. Naturally, my friend was extremely proud of his son, and I can only imagine how that kind of praise makes a parent feel.

Fernando and I constantly pray for Daniel's character - that we are able to provide a strong foundation for him to be a man of God from an early age. That no matter what trials he comes up against in life, he will not waiver in his faith, and his character will be unshaken. Like the prophet he was named for - clear in his priorities, respectful to everyone, talented in his profession ... "This man Daniel ... has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means."

Amen!

Month 12: Rhinos, Pinatas, and Birthday Cake

Well, he's one. Against all odds, we survived, and I think I speak for the three of us when I say that it's been way more fun than any of us anticipated. (Well, assuming Daniel's wasn't anticipating anything fancy...)

I am the exact opposite of a party-planning person. Parties kind of stress me out, actually. So my loving husband took the reigns and put together what turned out to be a really fun 1st birthday party for Daniel. It was rhino-themed, in honor of Zona, Daniel's stuffed buddy (with an identical twin in the closet for when Zona #1 needs to be washed).

Daniel's great-grandmother made him a rhino-shaped pinata (no joke!), and we put little plastic rhinos on Daniel's cake. The family all met at a local park - we at hot dogs and hamburgers, played on the playground, blew bubbles, played games, opened a mountain of cool presents, and ate lots of chocolate cake.

Not coincidentally, Daniel's newest favorite food is... chocolate cake. He went hog wild when we gave him a piece - stuffed it into his chipmunked cheeks, two fistfuls at a time. I honestly don't know how he didn't end up sick to his stomach - it was an impressive amount of cake for any adult, let alone a one-year-old.

The whole family turned up for the event - aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents, family friends, and more cousins than you can imagine. It was a blast, and Daniel really seemed to enjoy having everyone there.

He had a big day with tons of excitement and zero naps, so he conked out on the way home (3:30 ish) and pretty much stayed down for the night. He probably dreamt of cake, hot dogs and candy falling from the sky from the belly of a giant colorful rhinoceros. Who could ask for more?

Month 11: Hello Great Clips

Daniel's first birthday is right around the corner (three days!) so in preparation, we took him to get his first (real) haircut. We have given him five or six haircuts at home, but this was the first time we took him somewhere "official".

Overall, it was a success - Daniel sat still on the booster seat they provided, and looked adorable with the little drape around his neck. He sat exceptionally still while they sprayed his head and started trimming, and when he did start to squirm, the woman cutting his hair brandished the ultimate weapon: Daniel's first Tootsie Pop. It was love at first sight, and he sat motionless for the rest of the haircut, slurping away at his beloved sucker.

Aside from ignoring my "Don't touch the chops!" plea, his haircut turned out great. His hair grows so fast that I'm sure the chop she completely cut off will grow back soon enough. I got a bunch of cute pics of the occasion, and I'm sure that the haircut will make Daniel's birthday photos that much more socially acceptable. :)

Month 11: Discovery Mode

This month has been packed with all kinds of fun stuff - sledding, roadtrips,new foods, and more trip to the doctor. Our little man has had a rough go at it, health wise, with all the cold/flu junk he seems to pick up from anyone, anywhere, anytime. But even feeling under the weather hasn't deterred him one bit from all kinds of new discoveries...

1. Forts. This kid loves climbing through and under anything, over and over. We've started making forts for him out of pillows and cushions and he adores them - he's even gotten brave enough to climb OVER them, even it mean toppling over the other side. He's fearless. Daniel's also started lifting his knee, in an apparent attempt to climb over whatever's in front of him. The bathtub is the cutest... he tries to climb in... and then tries to climb out.

2. Tip Toes. It may just be the cutest thing I have ever seen - him straining to get as high as possible on his tip toes to look over something, or reach for a stray piece of food. He now goes BACK to his high chair after a meal to peer over the top and snag any last bites of food. (Sounds harmless, but this week I caught him snagging other kids' bites of food off of THEIR high chairs at preschool...)

3. "Uh oh!" It's the newest addition to his vocabulary - and it's priceless. He started saying it by itself, then after he dropped something, then after we dropped something, and now he says it to announce the fact that he's GOING to drop something. I know it should be old by now, but it's still adorable.

4. Tantrums. They have begun. Albeit small, there's no question that we're crossing into new territory with these little fits. Taking a toy away, and especially moving him away from something he wants to get into (toilet, closet, dishwasher... which he learned how to turn on by himself...!) He thrashes his legs and starts screaming - we ignore him and continue to interact calmly, and it's seemed to put a stop to these little episodes, at least for now.

5. Nums Nums. His all time favorite word - and he's had plenty of new num-nums this month. He adores mac & cheese, and is crazy about yogurt. Not the baby kind, but the regular ole yoplait - any flavor. He hears me opening the foil lid and comes streaking over to my chair where he hauls himself up and grabs desperately for the spoon. It's ridiculous how much he loves it. We had a fun family trip to Red Robin where Daniel and I shared an iced tea (he's a wiz with a straw), and shared a Cobb salad - he loves all the topping - avocado, tomato, cheese, chicken, etc. (And of course he shared my dessert too... a really good fruit and yogurt smoothie!)

6. Snow. A quick overnight trip up north to Flagstaff was all it took to turn Daniel into a Snow afficionado. We stayed with family, and went sledding in the morning - Daniel rode on an intertube sled and even a tiny little hill was enough to light up his face with the biggest smile I have ever seen.

Well, the one year mark is fast approaching. Daniel (and each of his 27 pounds) is more adorable every day - I can only imagine what more days (and more pounds) will do to the love I feel for him already!

Month 11: Lightbulbs and Little Fingers

Yes, you read that right. Lightbulbs. Or to be more exact, just one lightbulb - that's all it takes to burn the poop out of four tiny perfect little fingers.

It's actually my fault, which is the worst part of the whole ordeal. I was doing a photo shoot, so our torch lamp was on for extra lighting. Daniel crawled over to where I was kneeling, and I had the lamp on the floor. I started taking pictures of him as he crawled in my lap, and I would have seen him reaching for the bulb if there hadn't been a camera in my face. Sadly, I caught the exact moment when he touched the bulb and his sweet little face contorted in pain.

A piece of me broke in that moment and is never going to heal. I caused him pain. Because of something I did (or didn't do), his body suffered. This must be another one of those inevitable parental rites of passage - I imagine I should brace myself for more to come. But this first one was devastating.

We rushed him to cold water (the wrong thing to do, we later found out) and those tiny red blisters started to swell. Daniel cried new tears - a kind of pain I had never seen on his face. It only stopped when we put cold mayo on his fingers - a trick I had heard somewhere, and while it probably didn't help the healing, it distracted him enough to stop crying. Fernando took him into the doctor immediately, and we're currently watching for signs of fever, arm rash, or puss under the blisters (all five of which have grown to the size of small grapes).

Daniel's little hand stays bandaged with neosporin, gauze and tape. It's precious to watch him cope with a "mitten hand" and he's doing very well - eating, crawling, waving, and playing. It seems like the pain is gone, and it's just a matter of waiting for the blisters to heal.

From what I have read, there will be scarring, so I have a few years to invent a new, cooler story as to how this happened for Daniel to tell his friends when they see the scars. (And just between you and me, I'm thinking that perhaps in the new story, it won't be Mommy's fault...)

Month 10: A Parent's Place

It's happened. I have officially reached the "I can't remember my life before Daniel" stage. What in the world did I do with all that time?!

He is at a high-maintenance stage, no doubt, but it's also the absolute most fun we've ever had. He is a little ball of energy - a pit bull that just tears through the day with that classic combination of vigor and sticky hands. And when one of those sticky little hands reaches out to touch your face, the day's worry and stress simply evaporate.

Our roles as parents become more solidified daily (of course in the biological sense, they were pretty much solidified from day one). It's different now though - Daniel consistently responds to us with joy. Just walking in his room to get him after a nap, or a day at daycare - his smile is so big it about cracks his face, his little hands ball up into fists and his arms shake with excitement, and he crawls un-humanly fast to get to where we are. Eliciting that kind of reaction from another human being is a powerful thing - it's medicine to the soul.

It's pretty amazing how discipline doesn't affect Daniel's devotion to us. We're working hard to be consistent with our "no's" and with how we correct him. He responds well, and doesn't hesitate to come play with us affectionately right after we are stern with him. I suppose it's true, how children not only need discipline, but they also desire it so as to more completely know their place in the world.

Playtime has gotten more fun too - Daniel LOVES to be chased and startled. Lately, we've all spent a lot of our time on our knees, chasing each other around the couch, under the table, and around the recliner (usually 3 or 4 times). The fun is well worth the rugburn, and just in the past few days, Daniel has learned to chase US. It's fascinating to watch him learn to play by watching us play. Last night he was around the corner from me, and he'd poke his head out to see me and shriek in laughter, then quietly duck his head back in hiding, then poke it out again. Over and over... exactly like we do to him all the time.

And he's finally mastered "peek a boo". He started learning in Texas, when after a bath, he'd pull a towel over his face and then pull it back down for "peekaboo". But I guess he thought the game was just about raising his arms over his head, and dropping them... not about covering his face. (It was pretty cute though, to say "where's Daniel!?" and have him giggle and lift his arms up high and throw them down on his legs!)

A lot of things haven't changed - he's still big and strong and growing up way too fast. He still obsesses over fruit (strawberries and pineapples, mainly) and will only go to sleep if he has a rhino/turtle/giraffe ear safely in his mouth. He still breaks my heart daily, with that toothy/nose-scrunchy/eye-squinty grin, and we still marvel at how stinking handsome he is.

We're coming up on his one year birthday faster than I'd like to admit, and while it's exciting and certainly an occasion to celebrate, I can't help but feel sad at how quickly this first year went by. I find myself wishing we could all just hang out here - in this first year - just a little bit longer. I suppose that happens with each passing year... until around age 13 or 14, from what I'm told. :)

Month 10: Baby's First Christmas

Month 10 began with a flurry of fun, crazy events at the church where we work, then a mad dash to the airport so we'd make it to Texas before Christmas Eve. Daniel did remarkably well on the flights, thanks in part to so many friends who gave us priceless pearls of wisdom ("use your arms to make a 'seatbelt' and lock him in on your lap"..."feed him cheerios one by one for 30 minutes"..."save the best toys for the last 20 minutes of the flight"...). After two flights and one three-hour delay, all of us (with our embarrassing amount of luggage) arrived safely in Texas.

This year was special - my whole family gathered in one place to celebrate the holidays - 3 great grandparents, 2 grandparents, 4 parents, 2 infants, 2 aunts and uncles, 1 cousin, and a few dozen cows. Ah, the farm. The neatest part was Daniel getting to meet his cousin Lucas (7 months old) for the first time, and then watching the two of them play together like old buddies. The two babies were entirely doted upon and spoiled for ten solid days, and they brought an amazing lightness and life to the family gathering. There's just something magical about having babies around.

For Daniel, these ten days were jam-packed with new activities, developments and foods! Being able to spend all day every day with him is always incredible for us, as we get a front row seat to his every new move. Here's the short list of what all he learned in this amazing week and a half:

- Crawled SUPER fast, and mastered crawling on hard wood floors without slipping.
- Stood alone extremely easily, sometimes pulling up without the help of an object.
- Played our "1..2...3!" game and will consistently let go on the count of three, standing alone.
- Walked along things - window sills, couches - but always sideways!
- Took his first step by himself!
- Learned to crawl under things, and explore by ducking his head and maneuvering into small spaces.
- Learned a new laugh - like an "ssss" sound, and always very messy.
- Loved to be upside down - began throwing himself backwards to as so be upside down.
- Played "peekaboo!" and would consistently cover his face when we said "where's Daniel?!"
- Enjoyed shredding tissue paper and napkins into a pile of tiny little pieces.
- At the end of the trip, walked alone while pushing something across the floor (usually the high chair).
- CPR! No joke! Fernando would make an "o" with his mouth, and Daniel would put his mouth on top of Fernando's, and just wait there for a few minutes. It was a first step to a kiss, but looked a lot more like someone administering CPR...
- Solidified his first "communicative" word: Num num. He now approaches us and says "num num" when he's hungry, and when we want to give him food, we say "num num" and he repeats it, crawling to the kitchen.
- Maybe the most fun: Learned to crawl over to the piano, pull up, and reach up high to play the keys. If that isn't cute enough, he learned to dance along when he heard the sounds of the keys or someone singing!
- Learned to turn faucets on and off - at my gramma's house, he'd disappear for 20 seconds, and we'd suddenly hear the bath turn on!
- Discovered that his mattress in Texas was a LOT bouncier than his mattress in Arizona. He consequently learned to jump - and jump HIGH.
- Continued responding well to our "Daniel, no..." and even began shaking his head AT the no things: outlets, electronics, etc - before he'd even touched them.
- Began walking on his tip toes to reach higher up things.
- Mastered the art of a straw, making restaurant mealtimes much easier on us!

Like any respectable family Christmas, there was always lots of food - snacks, meals, and a few more snacks. Daniel tried a lot of new foods, and loved them all. His new treats include: Graham crackers, french bread end pieces, turkey, ham, bacon, waffles, english muffins, cream cheese & butter, mashed potatoes, whole baby carrots, beans & rice, boiled cheese. And his favorite: saltines (and oyster crackers). The night he had his first saltine, he grabbed a hold of a plastic pack of 2 saltines, and would not let it go. It stayed in his tight little fist through the entire meal, all the way home, during play time, through bath time, and all the way to the crib (where we finally confiscated the pack of crumbs in exchange for a bottle)!

We took lots of video and photos and enjoyed every minute of our sweet boy's first Christmas. One of the highlights was us taking Daniel out in one of the farm golf carts to explore the pasture. We clung to the golf cart for dear life (to say it was a bumpy ride would be a sore understatement) while Daniel shrieked with joy and put his little hands up. He met his first cow, and crawled around in his first field. I think he may have even sampled his first cow patty. It was truly a trip to remember, full of all the things trips should offer: relaxation, family, rest, laughter, exploration, adventure, and wonderful memories!

Month 9: A Bad Morning

As a mom, I would like to think that I'll always have the right answer - the right words, the right reactions, the right amount of patience.

This morning I had none of that.

Being a parent is teaching me about new things - among them, the limits I didn't know I had. New amounts of love I didn't think possible, new abilities to wake up (willingly) at 3:00 a.m. if my beloved needs me, and new limitations on just how much "aaahhh!!!" I can take. Somehow, this last limitation took me nearly ten months to discover.

You're probably expecting a long list of all the bad stuff Daniel did this morning, or the one giant disaster he caused. But he was fine - in a good mood, even. Maybe it was me. Maybe it was my Nyquil hangover. But whatever the reason, this morning was a bad morning.

I guess I'm mostly surprised at how quickly that "I need to get out" feeling arose. Most days, it never happens. But this morning all it took was 30 minutes of feeling like ever other word out of my mouth was "Daniel, no..." as he managed to bee-line for the TV, the stack of DVDs, the one shaky table, and every other baby-hazard in the room. His energy level reached new heights and suddenly my patience reached new lows. For the first time I felt like I had no idea what to do with him. I couldn't make him laugh, he didn't seem to want to play with me, and I felt inadequate.

I snapped. I needed to get out, get away and get some fresh air. I got dressed, loaded Daniel into the car and headed for church. I checked Daniel into the nursery as he looked at me with "Mommy don't leave me" eyes. I left him anyway, and head to my office to catch up on work I missed while sick.

As soon as I sat down in my office, Sobfest 2007 began. Absolute breakdown. Tears, anger, the whole nine yards. Poor Fernando came and found me halfway through. The guilt of not knowing how to parent is overwhelming, and even worse is the feeling of Daniel not needing or wanting me. I think I cried for 45 minutes, not knowing even what about exactly.

I felt awful that I even needed a minute away from him - what kind of parent am I? I feel jealous when Fernando plays so well with him - wrestling and evoking uncontrollable laughter from Daniel, who rarely laughs that way with me. I feel hurt when Daniel pushes away from me, or wants me to put him down... then embarassed that I'd get upset at a baby for his actions.

After I ran out of tears, I went to pick up Daniel, who by some mistake was in the wrong classroom. He was a mess - hungry, tired, wet - and entirely needing his Mommy. And for that instant every wrong was righted - at that moment he needed me.

We drove home, and as I unload him from the car he curls up on my shoulder, sleepy and sweet. We change his diaper and cuddle under a warm blanket for a bottle before naptime. He's currently passed out, snoring quietly, with his rhino in one hand and a blanket wrapped around his legs. No doubt he's storing up for his next bout of energy while dreaming of a world where wall outlets aren't plugged. My little man.

Month 9: Before I Forget, Part III

This is, hands down, the most delightful stage we've encountered yet. If I could freeze time, and keep Daniel at this age for just a few more days or weeks, I would. Every day we seem to have more and more fun (and consequently, I have had less and less time for writing about how much fun we're having. I'm home sick today, which is the only reason I am taking time to write this one).

Before time flies all too quickly again, it's time for another installment of "before I forget" even though I know I've already forgotten things that should be on this list.

I never want to forget...

- How he loves straws... and learned to drink tiny sips from one.
- How he carefully picks up Cheerios one by one, somehow maneuvering them into his mouth.
- How much he loves bathtime, and loves standing and holding onto the faucet.
- How jerky and quick his crawling can be when he wants to get somewhere in a hurry.
- How his babbling evolves daily... the word du'jour is "bah-doo" over and over.
- How he entertains himself by standing, sitting, standing, sitting, standing, sitting...
- How he really WANTS to stand with no hands, but doesn't quite have the balance yet...
- How he loves veggie poofs so much that he shoves all of them in his mouth (using both hands) without chewing or swallowing.
- How when he's sick, he gets very affectionate, laying his head on our chest and shoulders.
- How he dies of excitement when we pick him up from daycare - first laughing then crying if we don't pick him up fast enough.
- How dining room table chairs are the best baby gates ever!
- How every church volunteer or daycare worker falls in love with him the second they meet him.
- How he has to have his rhino (Zona) or his turtle (Diego) to sleep.
- How he snores quietly when he falls asleep in his car seat.
- How he runs his fingers over our teeth and lips in complete fascination.
- How he monkey crawls sometimes... on his feet and hands.
- How when he's really congested, he'll blow "boogar bubbles". Ew!
- How he loves his little Santa hat, and will leave it on all day long.
- How his poop smells worse and worse every day! And yet we still celebrate when it happens.
- How his favorite snacks come right off the kitchen floor... before we can stop him.
- How it's absolutely impossible to keep him clean. Impossible.
- How quiet he is when he first wakes up - sleepy eyes and puffy face... just looking around the room.
- How banging his hands on doors and walls can amount to 30 minutes of entertainment!
- How he looks like a different boy every day - and my eyes have to re-study every detail.
- How my heart actually breaks with the unexpected amount of love I feel.

On a less nostalgic note, we are getting ready for Daniel's first plane trip, and I have to say, I'm terrified. He is not a "sit quietly in laps" type baby, but since he's under 2 years old, we didn't have to buy him his own ticket (to save $300-something bucks). I'm worried for those little ears during take-off and landing, and I'm worried for our sanity (and the sanity of those around us). It's an evening flight (two flights, actually) and I'm sure Daniel will be sleepy and fussy. I know we'll all survive those few hours, but I'm still nervous.

Anyway. He'll be ten months soon, and then a year before I know it. I cannot believe how quickly it's going, or how much fun it is! Those first few weeks were rough (I'm not gonna lie...) but everything afterwards has more than made up for it! Here's to a successful flight(s) and a fun Christmas family get together!

Month 8: The Disease Called "Daycare"

Yes, Daniel has it. The disease called "daycare". It's a tricky disease, taking on new symptoms every other day. And apparently it lasts for months.

Finally tired of responding to "How's Daniel doing?" with "Not so great...", we took Daniel into the doctor's office today. His seemingly endless two month run of being under the weather included everything from spiking fevers to crazy long naps to projectile vomiting (more on that in a minute). The doctor listened patiently as I recited all the symptoms, and then he said "You're not going to like what I have to say" followed by a little speech on how Daniel most likely will be this way, on and off, until Spring.

I'm not surprised - I had half expected the "daycare" speech. It's funny how something that does so much good can also do harm - but on the flip side, the doc said that if he has a rough winter this year, next year's will be easy and uneventful (in the good way).

Back to the projectile vomiting... I have always read that you know your baby is vomiting (not just spitting up) when they eject the entire contents of their stomach. And I always thought, "How do you know what's the entire contents?"

On Sunday, I discovered the answer: You just know. No question. He drank a few ounces... sat up... got a strange look on his face... and BOOM! All over every piece of bedding we own. That stuff probably got 8 - 10 inches of horizontal air before gravity took it's toll. In one of my finer moments, I yelled "Holy crap!" and leaped off the bed, stripping Daniel, my bed, and myself all at the same time.

In other equally messy news, we got Daniel a high chair. One of those very functional $20 IKEA models... and it's fantastic. He does great in it, and it seems to encourage less-distracted eating than our other attempts at improv-chairs. He's doing much better with solids, and now loves to eat strips of toast and fruit along with his baby food.

He's crawling all over the place, and standing everywhere too (usually using the wobbliest chair he can find as support). We lovingly refer to him as "destructo" but I know we're in for much much worse as he learns to walk and (heaven forbid) run.

On a closing note, Daniel has never lacked for attention anywhere he's been. At home, he's adored. With extended family, he's revered. At daycare, he's treated very very well. But this last week I realized just how much he's fawned over at our church nursery on the weekends. We had a small weekday event where he was the only baby in the infant room, and instead of going home early, four nursery workers all stayed just to play with him. To take turns literally passing him around. The same thing happened one early service last Sunday, and four (different) volunteers came in the infant room to dote on him. When we arrive to the nursery, he's greeted with choruses of "It's Daniel!" "Hello my Danielson!" "He's here!!" Sometimes, they say hi to me too.

It's funny, but it makes me breathe easier to know that mine is the baby they love - not the one they dread. To know that it makes their day that much better when Daniel is in it. I jokingly call them his "weekend mommies" - not that I want to be replaced, but I love knowing that Daniel gets the most possible love all the time ... even when I can't be there.

Month 8: New Shoes & Those Magic Words

It is an electrifying and terrifying moment to see your baby stand up by himself for the first time. Your pulse quickens, your breath stops, and your mind races ahead to the mounds of baby-proofing you have yet to accomplish.

Daniel has always been exceptionally strong for his age, starting with his crazy head control the night he was born. So I shouldn't be surprised to see him achieve developmental milestones at the speed of light, but I can't help it. I laid him down in his crib for a nap (which he apparently wasn't ready for), he sat up and smiled and me, letting out this funny little chuckle, and began the climb. He grabs the bars, and kind of hoisted his bootie up to a kneeling position. Then one leg... then the other... and suddenly my baby was standing on his own two feet, obviously pleased with himself. Within minutes he was jumping, bouncing, doing the one-arm swing, and working his way around the crib interior, from bar to bar.

In honor of his new accomplishment, we picked up a few new pair of shoes at Wal-Mart (gotta love those $9 specials!). He now sports little white sneakers wherever we go, and is doing great about keeping them on. (The other pair of shoes was a pair of yellow work boots for his Halloween get-up. He was a lumberjack, complete with a red flannel shirt, red hat, homemade foil axe and a beard made with Mommy's mascara.)

In other news, Daniel finally transitioned from his all-encompassing word for everything: "da-da", to the sweet little syllables I have been waiting eight months for: "ma-ma". It happened this week - Wednesday - at 5:11 p.m. (not that it changed my life or anything). His voice has never sounded sweeter. Since then he's been using it more and more, and only when I'm around or when he's looking for me. If he's not there already, I think he's close to using words with intentionality. (All that said, there's no question that he still prefers saying "da-da" - lately, he's been using it to test the limits of his little vocal chords.)

That perfect little man just gets more perfect everyday.

Month 8: Sick & Loving It

That pesky little ER incident from last month (and the last posting) revealed a virus that didn't exactly stay in San Diego. While the hospital treatments did help for that week, Daniel's persistent "flu" didn't get any better. In fact, 3 and a half weeks later, it was worse: constant coughing, green sinus stuff, and a general feeling that he was just not himself. We finally took him in, and they prescribed an antibiotic for a sinus infection, and lots of rest and fluids.

Four days into the antibiotics and things took a turn for the worse - suddenly he was burning up, and the fever got worse throughout the night, spiking at 103.8, and tapering off over the next few days (during which he decided it would be fun to reject all food and drink. Our best guess is that it was a really sore throat, so it hurt to swallow. So he didn't - and the amount of drool was insane).

Let all that (kind of boring) information serve as the foundation for my main point: I love it when Daniel is sick.

Don't get me wrong - it's tough to watch him suffer, and I just want to "fix it" when anything is wrong. I'll probably be that mom who bullies the bully who picks on my son. But when Daniel doesn't feel 100%, a whole new side of him comes out: an affectionate, cuddly side. He's a very physical kid normally, but isn't usually prone to sitting still in laps, giving long hugs, or cuddling for extended periods of time.

Sick Daniel is a whole other animal. The night his fever spiked, Daniel slept in bed with me. We decided before he was born that he'd only sleep in his own room, and so far he has. (And for the record, I completely believe that it has helped him sleep through the night from early on). But a piece of me has always wanted him curled up next to me every night, even knowing I wouldn't sleep a wink.

That night, he was just so miserable, and burning up from the fever, I just couldn't bear for him to be in a different room. So we laid down for a quick nap in the bed, and just stayed there. He was cuddly, and sweet. He put his little forehead on mine, and slowly babbled himself to sleep. Some of my all-time favorite Daniel memories happened that night, and I uncovered a deeply maternal, nurturing piece of me that hadn't surfaced up until that point. (And wonderful Fernando slept on the couch, leaving room for a giant body pillow that prevented Daniel from rolling off the side of the bed :).

Daniel is feeling better, which is great, and some of that affection stuck around. He's giving longer hugs (and at this point, his version of a hug is flopping over on your shoulder while you hug HIM!) and he's more insistent on being physically close to us. Crawling into the kitchen (on our un-mopped floors) while we're cooking, or following our voices into another room.

He's also back in his own crib, which I know is the healthiest decision for all of us. But the next time he wakes up with a bad fever, I'll probably convert to attachment-style parenting... but just for the night. :)

Month 7: Shamu, Road Trips & Steroids

Ah, vacation. We recently returned from our first family vacation since Daniel was born (I suppose last October's Chicago trip could count as his first vacation, but he didn't have much of a skyline view from inside my belly).

It was an adventure, to say the least. He bonded with his car seat (and did great on the long drives), was fascinated by all the creatures at Sea World (he seemed to prefer Shamu, but hey - who doesn't!?), and got to stick his little toes in the ocean sand for the first time. Fernando's parents joined us - and Daniel loved every minute of having his "Mema & Papa" along for the ride.

Just before we left, we learned Daniel had been exposed to RSV at his preschool (nasty respiratory infectious thingy) which kind of freaked us out about his already bad cold. So a quick trip to urgent care (that proved completely useless) and we decided to go ahead and go on vacation. Two days into the trip, 3 a.m. strikes and we all wake up to extremely scary noises from Daniel's room - poor kid just couldn't breathe right and was choking on all the junk in his airways. Thankfully there was a great Children's Hospital less than 5 minutes from our beach house. Seven hours later, he had been suctioned by this crazy machine that clears out your sinuses and had been given steriods to open his little throat back up. He was happy, we were happy. We celebrated at IHOP.

What struck me most on this trip was his rate of change. I think I mention how fast he's growing up in every posting ... you probably are sick of reading it, because I'm sick of writing it. But last week, seeing him all day every day, it was absolutely out of control. One minute he couldn't clap, the next minute he could clap, and would do so with glee whenever anyone said "Bravo!" One hour he couldn't pronounce certain syllables, and the next he happily named the Cubs hat, his favorite stuffed toy, and Fernando as "di-da!"

He has also grown quite attached to stuffed animals. Against all rules in the parenting manual (What? You didn't get a copy?) we now put all kinds of things in his crib at night. Blanket, stuffed toy attached to his pacifier, a few other stuffed animals (namely, "Tex" his long-horn steer, "Osito" his bear, "Diego" the turtle and "Zona" the rhino). And he loves them all. If you sneak in an hour after he's falled asleep, the kid is somehow holding on to or at least touching every single one of them.

I could write forever about the vacation details, but I'll spare you. Suffice it to say that we had an amazing time. We all re-fell in love with each other, took time to enjoy the little things - a rousing round of chinese checkers, a little wooden roller coaster, or just the shade of a really big tree - and have set the bar so incredibly high for family vacations that I'm kind of scared to start planning the next one. :)

Month 7: Picking Up Speed

And I'm not kidding. The first 6 months were a casual walk in the park compared to the incredible rate of development Daniel seems to exhibit daily. Hourly. Minutely.

I guess the biggest change is his energy level - he is absolutely all over the place, all the time. (And that's even without the "official" crawl...) But there has been a dramatic change in his willingness to "sit still" over the past few weeks. It's not a bad thing - it's tons of fun, and he's so strong and coordinated, he can do all kinds of fun games. But I will admit that restaurants are becoming a little more difficult. And bath time. And Mommy's nap time. :)

The army crawl is upon us - it's hilarious, and pretty efficient - but definitely not the graceful knees & hands thing I know is right around the corner. Up until now he's done a pretty amazing job of barrel-rolling to get from place to place. The day he got really good at it, he barrel-rolled right into a coffee table leg and had a big red line that went from his forehead down his nose and onto his chin.

He's also become very aware of us being in the room - if we leave, he expresses his displeasure. The same thing with being held - he's a little monkey, and monkeys want to play up in the air, not on the ground with toys. It's a strange dichotomy - I LOVE it when he cries for me, or reaches for me, or throws himself around my ankle so I can't walk away. No question there. But I also don't want him to be spoiled, so I know I can't indulge every little whine. (But while I attempt not to indulge him, I can secretly feel needed and loved, right? :)

Daniel enjoyed a two-week visit from his Gramma from Texas - lots of play time in the park, on the living room floor, and out and about town. Including a 4-hour visit to the local Urgent Care when Gramma broke her little pinkie toe. Not fun at all, but we all still worked in as much (immobile) bonding time as possible for the time we had together. It's always fun for us newbie parents to watch an experienced parent in action. My mom knew all the tricks of the trade - how to make "homemade" toys of empty crystal light containers, some packing tape and a bouncy ball: the result? A toy that Daniel MUCH preferred over his store-bought items. She showed us the miracles of straws in restaraunts (it's like feeding iced tea to a little bird!) and the 20 minutes of entertainment a simple spoon will provide.

Next week we're headed out to San Diego for our first family vacation since Daniel's birth - I'm excited and a little apprehensive about traveling with him, but he's such a good baby that I think we'll be fine. We rented a big beach house for the week - about 10 steps from the ocean, and on the other side of the house, about 15 steps from the bay. Not a bad set up at all :)

Stay tuned for the inevitable adventures to come...

Month 7: Ingestion Update

(Sorry, but that's the most creative title I could think up for: "Here's what Daniel's been eating lately"...) Starting just after he turned six months, we dove into the brand new world of baby food. A little scary, a lot messy, and a ton of fun.

As of now, Daniel's breakfast is a small bottle along with oatmeal & prunes - which he eats in man-sized portions. Lunch #1 is fruit & a bottle and lunch #2 is a different fruit (or vegetable) and a bottle. Dinner is brown rice and a vegetable, followed by a bath, followed by a bedtime bottle. Snacks along the way include little sweet potato puffs or a small bite of whatever fruit Mommy is snacking on.

As for preferences, we started out ok with green beans, but by the end of that week he turned up that cute little nose to those poor beans. Peas were an ABSOLUTE no, but the rest were great - carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. He got a little stomach bug during the carrots week, and he pooped watery orange for quite a few days. (The really bad part of that story is he gave me that bug, and all I could stomach was blue gatorade. You can imagine how colorful my trips to the bathroom were...)

In other non-nutritive news, his vocal skills are becoming entirely amusing. He's definitely doing more immitation - number of syllables and type of sound. He seems to pick a particular sound for a day or two and just practice non-stop. "Mah" "Dah" "Ba" - that's his recent favorite. I actually think he may be using it with meaning: "Ba-ba" for bottle... it's not every time, but frequently when he's hungry, he'll cry/whine "baaaa - baaaaa". Pretty cute.

Personally, my favorite types of conversations with him are the non-verbal ones. Take for example - the raspberry conversation. This intellectually stimulating encounter consists of Daniel blowing a raspberry for a few seconds, then the second party following suit. Then Daniel. Then the second party. It can last as long as twenty minutes ... something I don't think the adult tongue was meant to do, as mine is usually numb after these conversations.

Daniel's recent favorite is a fake cough conversation - back and forth, back and forth. I think he learned the fake cough from a little girl in his preschool class (definitely not as bad as the fake scream he learned from a different little girl). The fake coughing usually leads to real coughing though, so it's not quite as much fun as the raspberries.

All sore throats aside, I will never forget the first time we had a "cough" chat - in the bathtub, about to get out, and Daniel fake coughed. I replied. He looked up at me and giggled. He coughed. I coughed. He laughed outloud, and put his little hand on my cheek. I think we coughed and laughed for a good ten minutes, soaking wet and naked in the lukewarm tub water. It was one of those "oh please let time stop RIGHT NOW so I can never leave this moment" moments.

(Also one of those "better remember this forever cause there's NO WAY we're taking a picture of this moment" moments :).

As a closing note, I believe I forgot to mention that Daniel's third and fourth teeth arrived - together, top and center. I thought he couldn't get any cuter - but I was wrong - he's hilariously ferocious with four teeth, and that much more determined to stick things in his mouth.

The difference is that before, he'd just kind of suck on whatever was in his mouth - now he bites. Hard. We need to invest in a little "warning" sign and mount it to his chin. Just in case people have never seen a four-toothed monkey before.

Month 6: No Sibling For You!

There is nothing more fun than watching a baby try to figure out the solution to a problem. Not just blindly stab at a guess, but really think through it.

Having already mastered the art of rolling from his back to his front, yestereday Daniel set out to overcome the next obstacle: rolling from his front to his back. Easier said than done, by the way. He apparently had done it in his sleep the night before (we put him down on his back, Fernando snuck in at 2 am and saw him on his tummy, and I found him on his back at 8 am). But doing it intentionally, while awake, was a whole other challenge.

First, he would attempt to turn his torso. Arms would stay in the same position, and he'd just rotate that little butt as far as it would go. First one direction, then the next. No luck. Then the legs were the next attempt. He'd swing the left leg as far to the right as he could, and vice versa. No luck. Then the winning ticket: that giant noggin of his. (Whoever said that your weakest point can't work in your advantage never saw a baby flip over).

He figured out that it's all about the head. First, he'd suddenly drop his head onto the ground, looking left or right. This usually was accompanied by the butt twist. Then he'd try the other direction. The problem was his little arms, that acted like a kickstand on a bike. Acting confused that the sudden head drop did nothing, he stared at each arm for a minute. Then, in a stroke of genius, he threw his head again, but this time, over the weight-bearing arm. In slow motion, the momentum of his oversized cranium slowly lead the rest of his body and he landed on his back (in a fit of giggles, of course).

The rest of the day was filled with rolling practice. He looked like a dog that someone was training to "lay down!" or "play dead!" with all that head dropping. It was priceless.

The past two days have been fairly eventful overall - our air conditioning unit bit the dust, and we had to pack up a few bags and escape with out lives (we do live in Phoenix, after all). The result was Daniel sleeping in his pack-n-play all night for the first time. We were skeptical, but he came through like a champ - 12.5 uninterrupted hours of sleep. Out of town vacations, here we come!

The downside of yesterday was last night, when for no apparent reason, Daniel decided he wanted Mommy & Daddy's company at 9 pm, 1 am, 3 am, 4 am, and 5 am. And he wanted to scream the whole time. We had no idea what happened (still don't know) but it was utterly exhausting. We tried everything in the book, and the only thing that put him to sleep each time was rocking him in a specific position. We all woke up at 8:30 this morning - Fernando and I feeling like zombies, and Daniel in a dandy mood.

It was a blast from the (not so distant) past ... just six months ago, that was our nightly sleep routine ... and the nightmare of it all came rushing back in a torrent. This morning, I had a nice little chat with Daniel about how I wasn't angry with him, but that every action has a consequence. I let him know that his actions last night might very well have cost him a future sibling - that Mommy and Daddy just couldn't go through that again! I'm sure he understood every word, as he contentedly sucked away on his morning bottle.

Month 6: A Goatee of Prunes

That's right, folks. It's food time. Not this measly formula concoction they call food. But REAL food - in a bowl, with a spoon, all over the face. Yup - those days have officially begun.

Breakfast is a delicious puree of prunes & rice cereal. Not for the faint-of-heart... Fernando nearly lost his lunch when he tried a bite. But Daniel is a brave boy with adventure in his heart - he loved every bite. In fact, he cried if we didn't get the second spoonful to him fast enough.

A few times, he grabbed the spoon from us and attempted to feed himself (from both ends of the spoon) and giving up on that method, he grabbed the bowl by the sides, and attempted to "drink" the food as if from a cup. Smart cookie. And a smart handsome cookie when we created a goatee of prunes on his little face. (And you think he looks like Fernando NOW! You should see him with a purple beard!)

The photos from that first feeding session reveal what rookies we are as parents. It's like one of those games: "Can you find everything that's wrong with this picture?" 1) No bib. Lesson learned. 2) Glass bowl = completely unthrowable, and not baby teeth friendly when you child decides to suck the rim of the bowl. 3) No high-chair. We just put him in a toy that has a tray in front, and toys off to the sides. The toys are a little distracting, and dried prune mush is pretty hard to get off of baby dinosaur eggs and plastic palm fronds.

Lunch & dinner are green beans - which smell way better than the prunes, but still had that same pesky gag-reflex effect on Fernando. (Further evidence to back up my theory on the paternal compulsion to try everything their kids try. Reference Appendix A: My previous post called "Month 4: Teethies & Guinea Pigs" ... you can guess which half of that title applies).

At any rate, it's all going well. Daniel's still taking bottles, but hasn't been finishing them. Which I suppose means he's filling up on food. After another week of green beans, we move on to the next green veggie. The photo ops never end!

Month 6: When Life Gives You Lemons...

Having a baby is limiting in many ways - especially in the way of having a social life that includes more than your immediate family. Last Sunday, we decided to test out our "adult friends in a public setting" capacities, and we took Daniel to his first real restaurant outing. (By "real" I mean that he didn't sleep all the way through it).

He was a big hit - and actually ended up being quite the life of the party. He was interactive, smiley, energetic, and mildly destructive throughout the whole meal. Near the end, having run out of small talk, we decided to try the ole "give the baby a lemon and laugh at the reaction" trick. So, we found an unused lemon wedge and stuck it in his mouth. Nine grown adults, all on the edge of their seats to see this sour-faced reaction. We held our breath. Daniel's eyes went wide... he grabbed the lemon with both hands... and started sucking.

That's right. My son loves lemons. He sucked the juice right out, and continued to knaw on the rind. Insane! And hilarious. It was a tart one too - we checked to make sure it wasn't an orange or sweet lime by accident. Lemons are now on our grocery list for our next trip to Fry's. That trick is just too good NOT to repeat.

Not everything this month has been that enjoyable - Daniel got his first (big) cold. Poor little guy could hardly breathe, and even had trouble falling asleep. The magic boogar-sucking-blue-ball only does so much, and the only relief he ended up finding was with some baby Vicks on his chest and under his nose. On the up side, when he's this congested, some of his vocalizations sound INSANELY like Chewbaca. (Maybe it makes us bad parents, but every time Daniel did it, we just died laughing.)

We saw the doctor a few days ago for the routine shots and check-up. All is well - Daniel is still above the 95th percentile for all categories: Weight (22 pounds, 5 ounces), Length (28.5 inches), Head Circumference (18 inches). The doctor said he's doing exceptionally well in all areas, and he has no concerns. (Except that Daniel's slacker parents need to get their booties in gear and buy their son a new car seat... he outgrew his a month ago...)

The fun isn't over yet - we start solid foods in a few days (once his cold has completely cleared). Rice cereal & prunes for breakfast, and green beans for lunch and dinner. Lucky kid. Could have been peas.

Month 6: Tummy Time & Big Pictures

You know how at every birthday someone always asks, "So, do you feel older?" Well, 3 days into his sixth month, Daniel most definitely feels older.

The past two mornings I have discovered him fast asleep on his stomach (after having put him down on his back). Might sound like a small deal, but it's actually pretty monumental for a kid who hated tummy time more than I hate split pea soup. Which is a lot. He now can turn over by himself, from back to stomach, and loves showing off his new trick. He also sits very well, but tends to lurch forward in an attempt to get onto his stomach. (Who IS this child?!)

He seems to cry less and less - but just expresses himself differently during fussy times by whining, and muttering the same syllable over and over. Recently, it's either "mah" "da" or "bah". So cute and pathetic at the same time.

I realized that I end up giving a lot of specific information in this blog without the "big picture" kind of stuff. So here's a paragraph of "big picture" items. He loves the jumparoo - and spends quite a bit of time in it each day (and jumps incredibly high). He adores fake flowers. And by adore, I mean he bursts out into laughter/giddy smiles whenever he sees one. (Remind me to tell you about the forbidden orchid in the hallway sometime). Baths are fun - I have been just getting in the tub and having Fernando hand me Daniel. There's just more room for him to splash and play, and it's safer than the shower. Bedtimes are easy - a bath, a quick massage, and a bottle are enough to knock him out nightly, and keep him out for around 11.5 - 12.5 hours a night. He loves smiling and laughing - and does it most of the day. Even if he's smiling at nothing, or at a passing cat, he seems happy to be happy. We can make him laugh easily by making funny faces, or dancing around like lunatics. The best is when he's looking over your shoulder and thinks he's being "chased" by the person walking behind you. Guaranteed laughs and usually shrieks of joy too.

Anyway. Month 6 has barely begun and already it's the best one yet!

Month 5: Applesauce and Balance

This month is proving to be a big one for Daniel - lots of new skills each day. He's now sitting unassisted - and he even flew right past the "try to balance" stage right into the "what can I grab now?" stage. I have since discovered that my house is 0% baby-proof.

It's crazy to see this little baby evolve into a functional human being. He's interested in the world, interested in the people around him, and tries to communicate with a charming series of syllables and high-pitched squeals.

He's not technically starting solid foods until he turns 6 months, but Daniel's mommy seems to have a slight tendency to put new foods in his mouth to watch the reaction. Daniel's daddy isn't so happy about this (who knew that I would be the rebellious parent?!). But I think Daniel's daddy is starting to come around - this morning, he gave Daniel his first spoonful of real food. It happened to be applesauce.

Maybe it's all babies at this stage, but Daniel is entirely interested in eating. He watches us like a hawk if we're eating dinner in front of him. Every forkful of food - every sip of drink. He reaches for it, if at all possible. It's probably my fault - I keep putting new things in his mouth - pieces of fruit, different drinks, even bacon... I know what you're thinking, but you should have SEEN the look on his face! We even tried out having him drink from a regular cup - it was more like a cat lapping up water than a person drinking, but now he's fascinated with cups and wants to try drinking from every cup he sees.

The only downside to this month has been the pooping issue... constipation is entirely more uncomfortable as a baby than an adult, it seems. Poor little guy has struggled all month, and we're now giving him apple juice, mylicon AND karo syrup daily to try to help things out. His next appointment is just a week away, where we will be looking for some more concrete answers (no pun intended).

Everyone told me it would be this way, but I really have loved every passing day more and more. Each stage is more fun than the previous one. His affection for us grows daily, and having that love reciprocated is the most rewarding feeling I have ever felt!

Month 5: Our Little Man

What's crazy is how every day (heck - every hour) he looks more grown-up. Something about his eyes... and his smile... make Daniel look more like a little first grader than a baby. He's so intelligent, so curious - those little hands run over and over any new object we give him to explore. Some of his favorites are Daddy's beard, the cat's fluffy tail, and his own hair.

I did this a few months ago, but I think it's once again time for a "before I forget" list. Time is flying by at warp speed, and if I don't take just a few minutes to document some of these moments, they'll be gone forever.

I want to remember...

- How he ever so gently traces my hand with his fingers.
- How waltzing or doing the polka makes him laugh really hard.
- How his eyebrows can change his expression 80 times a minutes.
- How when he's tired, he cries while still jumping in the jumparoo.
- How he thumps his legs in his crib for fun.
- That little ratty bald spot, and the almost-dread.
- The feeling of joy and celebration we feel when he poops.
- The look of recognition on his face when we walk into daycare to get him.
- His startled face when the wind ruffles his hair.
- How he loves to be startled - he is going to love roller coasters and scary movies.
- His dramatic fake cough - and that heavy breathing!
- How he makes the craziest faces - and his lips disappear.
- How I cry whenever I think of him growing up.
- How his little legs & feet move when he's taking a bottle.
- How he pulls leaves off of trees and tries to eat them...
- How much he loves playing in the new sheets on our bed.
- How he blows raspberries with his tongue all day long.
- How he's fascinated with the cats, and just watching them move makes him giggle.
- How he reaches out with both hands to touch my face, and smiles at me.

There are so many more. The desire to stop time and capture this moment is so strong - and so sad. I love that little man so much - I can't imagine loving him more, and yet I know that's what the future holds.

Month 4: Teethies & Guinea Pigs

Yes, you read that right. Teethies. Daniel grew a tooth last Thursday - July 12th. And not wanting to feel excluded, tooth #2 made an appearance within 48 hours of tooth #1. Fashionably late.

It does explain all the drool and the constant chewing on his fingers (and our hands, and our shirts, and anything else close by).

But aside from the novelty of the whole thing, the teething process isn't so much fun. He's been flushed and feverish since Thursday afternoon, and congested beyond belief. It's difficult-to-impossible to take a bottle or pacifier and breathe through his nose. But after a quick (and probably unnecessary) doctor's visit, he's sleeping better on an elevated mattress and with his new humidifier.

And looking on the bright side, the combination of whimpers and him feeling his teeth with his tongue result in a sound that's remarkably similar to "Ma Ma". :)

The other half of this posting's title is in reference to Daniel's sweet loving and absolutely hilarious father. Yesterday he commented that what he's learned about parenting is that it means "Daddy buying a whole lot of completely unnecessary items" for Daniel. Like today, when we showed up at the doctor's office with a handful of possible remedies (only one of which was approved for use).

Being a father also (apparently) means experiencing all kinds of new things... and I don't mean emotions or feelings. I mean new things. Like baby formula. And breast milk. And Baby Oragel. (Just a warning... the tiniest dab of that stuff will completely numb your gum and tongue instantly.) Why does he feel compelled to try this stuff? I think it's because he's a very involved dad who wants to experience whatever his son is experiencing. It's empathy. Kindness. Love.

And it's completely hilarious to the spouse to gets to watch it all take place :)

Month 4: In the Blink of an Eye

This week, I was a single parent. Fernando went to Kids Camp to lead worship, and had to be gone from Sunday - Thursday night. It might not seem like a long time, but for the Dad who can't see his kid for 5 days (and for the Mom who's on her own at home) it IS a long time.

So, in the spirit of taking away something positive from this week, here are the lessons we learned over the past seven days:

1) I am not made to be a stay at home mom. Period. I love my son, and I love spending time with him. But right around the third nap of the day mark, I start going stir crazy.

2) 4-month-olds change immensely in five days. This can be shocking to the parent who is gone for those five days. Babies are able (as demonstrated by my son) to outgrow clothing within five days, change diaper sizes, learn new tricks, learn to make new sounds (he has discovered his inner motor & bubble machine - the spit showers just don't stop...) and grow long hair (again). All in five days.

3) While I could probably survive as a single mother, I NEVER want to. I would miss the help, the support, the love, and even the body taking up half of the bed :)

4) Daniel sleeps through fireworks. I don't understand how, but he didn't budge when those gunshot-sounding explosions starting happening outside. His first encounter with fireworks was the same - he was only 6-weeks-old at our Easter service. They were LOUD. Come to think of it, most loud noises don't bug him. On Monday, I hit the panic button on the van keys. He didn't even blink - stayed sound asleep. Thirty minutes later, his aunt Keila sneezed and it scared him and made him cry. I don't know if that's selective hearing or some magic power.

That's about all I can think of at this point. And after that initial "re-adjustment" period, we're just all happy to be re-united. It's been a loooong week, and we're looking forward to not doing that again until this time next year!

Month 4: Old Car Seats & New Bouncy Seats

Daniel's 4 month appointment was today - I can't believe he's already this old. Just a warning - this posting is going to be all kinds of boring updates, so if you aren't all that into babies (or Daniel), then you probably won't be enthralled.

BIG BOY
Everything looked great - the doctor kept saying how healthy he looked. Apparently 4 month olds usually don't sleep 12 hours at night (we're not complaining) and they usually aren't over 20 pounds (but Daniel weighed in at 20lbs 4oz.) The funny part is that the doctor said it was great that he's so big, but he couldn't figure out how he got that big based on his formula intake - 7 oz, 4-5 times a day. He kept saying "That's it? That's all?" I told him we tried to give him more, but he wouldn't take it. Anyway - Daniel is officially 95th percentile for length (27 in.) and weight. I'm just glad he's back on the charts :)

SHOW OFF
I have heard lots of parents say that their babies act differently for the doctor than they do at home. A sick baby will have no trace of a fever, or a fussy baby will be all smiles. And, it's true. One of my concerns for the doctor was that Daniel still hates tummy time, and usually cries through it, with his little face planted in the carpet. So, to demonstrate, I put Daniel on his belly on the table, sure that he'd do his usual thing. What happened next was a miracle. He pushed up with his arms and held his head higher than ever before, looking around the room. I'm convinced that Daniel learned to hold his head up right then and there, on the doctor's table, because when we got home, we tried it again, and he did the same thing - even smiling and laughing for a few minutes. Incredible.

TANTRUM TIME
Our usually sweet, smiley, no-fussy baby decided to exercise his little lungs right in the middle of the appointment. We had given him tylenol ahead of time to counteract the fever caused by the shots, so I think he was extra tired. He started wailing in the middle of the appointment and didnt stop for at least 20 minutes, until he exhausted himself and fell asleep on my shoulder. The doctor wasn't even slightly phased - and even laughed at our confusion. He said "He's not usually like this?" and chuckled under his breath in that "they don't know how good they've got it" kind of way.

All in all, it went well. Daniel did great with the shots (and by great I mean "screamed his head off and turned beet red"), and is napping lots today - probably from all that tylenol. We even enjoyed a little family nap today in our bed - those are the best.

A few "four month" side notes - he has fallen madly in love with: 1) the bouncy seat (with such enthusiastic bouncing that his knees hit the ground and parts fall off the chair), 2) his own voice (read: high pitch squeals and mini-screams at anything that tickles his fancy) and 3) his tongue. I know I said this before, but seriously, the kid forgets to put it back in his mouth.

So, steady as she goes - Daniel seems to be doing super well for his age. Now if you'll excuse me, it's time to do a little research on car seats - our 95th percentile son has managed to out grow his infant one already.