Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 1:57 pm (The Higher Nest)
Tags: 7-8, Firsts, Holidays, WeFo
Every day of late Wes gifts us with a new surprise. Last week it was sitting up and creeping. Yesterday he offered me his paci twice and gave Niles two kisses. Today he began the morning by clapping, just like that, out of nowhere. This is, truly, the sweetest time: and we are grateful.
A most happy Thanksgiving holiday to all of you.
Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 1:29 pm (The Higher Nest)
Tags: 7-8, Nature, Photography, WeFo
I took these photographs the same day as Wesley’s 7 month photo shoot, and they are probably the closest thing to fall pictures I’m going to get lacking any beautiful bed of orange red leaves in this part of the country.
In hindsight, I should have had Craig accompany me to the park down the street to run defense for me, as it was practically impossible to take a single shot without Wes working furiously on trying to stick as many wood chips, mulch and twigs as humanly possible into his mouth. Not that I mind his experimenting with the elements per se. I think he should know what wood feels like and even tastes like, but I’m not so much equipped to deal with wood chocking incidents. There is already enough to worry about in the gagging department when it comes to actual food.
I think he figured out eventually that wood isn’t really so delicious after all, not that this discovery was enough for him to put an end to the tasting:
And there it is. He is unstoppable, as I am sure all babies his age are, little babes determined to discover what their worlds hold for them and of what their little bodies are capable.
So I shouldn’t have been so surprised to wake up Wednesday morning at 1 am to a wailing baby sitting upright in his own crib. He was sitting, and it was shocking, and really I don’t think either one of us had a clue how it had happened and not even a warm bottle of milk nor kisses nor snuggles were enough to calm my child down that night, at least not until 5 am and a mama sleeping on the floor beside him.
Last week the precrawling rocking started, and now he’s spent the last two days showing us exactly how it is he manages to roll up to a sitting position on his own, which is truly a beautiful discovery. But am I ever thankful for that modern piece of machinery known as the infant swing, the only spot where since Wes has allowed any sleep, rocked rhythmically side to side in its cozy cradle. There was a time when he we could place him on our chests and he would close his eyes and happily drift off to sleep. But he’s a big boy now, you see? Just trying to make sense of it all.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 10:34 am (The Higher Nest)
Tags: WeFo, Letters, 7-8
My dearest Wesley:
It is hard to believe that your 7th month has nearly passed now, and you are living the second half of your first year, closer to 1 than to the little baby we brought home last March. At times it is difficult for us to remember how tiny you were then by comparison, and it is only when we look at an old photograph that we can recall how small your face was, so small your binky took up half of it, how static you’d lie in your crib, your jerky arms contained in blankets. Now you are a force to be reckoned with, waking up far from where we placed you the night before, inching your way into one tiny corner or another for comfort.
You are an expert roller, though I would not be a bit surprised if I woke up tomorrow, placed you on the floor, and found you crawling your way clear across the room. Already the other night I spied you in the crib rocking back and forth on all fours, practicing your future steps, and I worry there will be no way to contain you then, you who gets into anything and everything, always ending up in the one spot in a room I’d prefer you avoid.
You are certainly a willful boy, never hesitating to express your boredom, anger or frustration with your forceful grunts, then just as easily laughing hysterically at any silly thing I say. You love food, but you will not let us get a spoon anywhere near your mouth unless you yourself are holding it, and your poor mama is going crazy trying out new foods with you, terrified at every little gagging sound you make as you experiment with feeding yourself waffles, breads, carrots, celery, and more. Oh how much easier things were 3 months ago when we first gave you a taste of oatmeal. And yet I know this independent streak of yours will serve you well in life, my fierce daring son, terrified of nothing and willing to give anything a go.
What a marvel it is to watch you love standing and throwing your head back, play with big toys now and not just rattles. You turn the pages of your books in between bites at them. You giggle when we fall on cue during “Ring Around the Rosie” and you smile at the finger songs your mama plays. You love to watch doggies run and hands clapping. In short, you make happy.
Yes, it’s been a lovely month. Fall came to South Florida. You got to wear long sleeves, a hat, feel the wind on your face. You were the perfect frog on Halloween. Next you’ll celebrate your first Thanksgiving, and Christmas too is just around the corner. Already your mama is thinking of what will be the perfect gift — your first truck perhaps? Always I have one eye on your future and the other longingly looking back at the past. It’s all going by too fast.
All my love, forever and ever and ever,
Mama
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 9:46 am (The Higher Nest)
Tags: 7-8, WeFo, Yum
I think we’re quite lucky that we have a good eater. Wes took to those first bowls of oatmeal and purees like a pro. He hasn’t shown great love for bananas, but he’s still eaten them, both out of a jar and mashed (and just recently sliced across). The only thing he has ever refused me is avocado. Go figure. But I started to notice his predilection for chomping on Mum-Mums on his own and raking puffs off his high chair tray while practicing his pincer grasp — along with an altogether interest in feeding himself.
I wish I had investigated baby-led weaning months ago before we ever got started on solids. Have you seen how these babies eat? They’re practically chomping at whole fruit from the start. But I only just now came across the idea, and the book is on a 1 to 2 month backorder. I guess now we’re just at a point of progressively moving toward more finger foods. Mum-Mums and puffs make for good practice, I suppose, but really they’re just sugar. So I find myself getting much more adventurous with what I’ll give Wes.
Out for breakfast the other day, we just got Wesley his own bagel and let him chomp away at it. Of course, he barely made a dent in it, but he and the bagel were practically in love. On our way out, we had to run Wes to the car because it had begun to rain and though he tried to clutch it tight, one bagel half inevitably landed on the floor in the mad rush. And our boy sobbed so passionately, it may have been the most pitiful — and adorable — thing I’d ever seen. (As you can imagine, his daddy ran back in and got him another, which he enjoyed in the dry comfort of his home):
Since then we’ve also tried steamed carrot sticks, raw celery ones, a bit of cheese, another go at chunks of avocado (which, even coated, proved difficult to grab), and that banana sliced cross way — the one piece of food that scared the crap out of me, seeing as how Wesley proceeded to gag on it. And that’s the scary part of this whole finger food thing. I mean, I know gagging is our way of NOT choking, but I’m not exactly that clear headed when my son sits in front of me in apparent distress.
I want Wes to love food. Good food. I want him to want to devour his veggies, the way I used to eat whole tomatoes like apples over a kitchen sink. But it’s hard to give up purees altogether since I can count on him to eat them so diligently. So I’m not sure how to proceed from here. Do I dare stop spoon-feeding him so soon?
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 11:53 am (The Higher Nest)
Tags: 7-8, Holidays, Photography, WeFo
Thank you all for your comments on my Halloween post. I’m not sure how many people ever go back into the comments section, so I thought I would respond to your kind words here. I can’t thank you enough for your compliments on my photography. I can’t believe it myself that I’m the one who snapped those pictures. But to be 100% truthful, they still required a lot of post-processing. I can’t wait for the day when I finally figure out the proper exposure at the time I snap the pictures rather than afterward, but I’m so incredibly slow at getting the settings right — quite the obstacle when working with an active baby, as you can imagine — and I still have a heck of a time wrapping my head around shutter speed. Numbers were never my friend. But I’ve loved photography for as long as I can remember, and in hindsight perhaps I should have studied that art instead of burying my nose in books of poetry.
It didn’t hurt that Wes was kind enough to humor his mama in the endeavor, only pulling at his froggy eyes and crown a time or two. And I couldn’t have done it without Craig, who was the consummate wrangler and took to the task with the aid of one furry blue turtle and a silly pink flamingo.
That’s Wes right there looking up at his daddy standing above me!
And I’m sorry, but how cute was that costume? A bit on the big side, but I think perfect nonetheless. And my favorite part was that it came with its own lily pad! And the lily pad squeaks! I only regret not having seen this other costume for sale, too. What a pair Wes and Niles would have made!
I can’t wait to try this all over again, maybe for some winter holiday photos? I’m happy with the roll of white paper purchased at a local educational supplies store (for decorating bulletin boards) though I may have to come up with another creative way of draping it seeing as how I don’t have a proper stand (nor the room for it). For these photos, I placed the roll inside Wesley’s crib and pulled the paper out and over, but the problem with that is that I’m then left with very little room where I can shoot: that’s quite the small space between the crib and the dresser that sits immediately across from it. But that room has the best light in the house…perhaps if I learn how to properly use my new Speedlite though, other spots in the house will open up!
