This blog takes us through the holidays and Henry's seventh and eighth months. As holidays usually are, ours were pretty busy. We didn't travel anywhere. Family came into town. Pretty standard holiday-ness. Throw a baby with a nap and feeding schedule in the mix, and it all becomes a little more complicated, but we navigated it all with no major problems.
Henry Month 7:
Five days into month seven we discovered that Henry could sit up for short periods of time by himself. We discovered this when we went to his six month photo shoot, and we had some shots of him sitting by himself. We were always within an arms reach during these photo opps, of course, because he would slowly start leaning one way and then just continue on over. After we discovered his new motor milestone, we began practicing with pillows behind him, and we eventually removed those training wheels.
This month he also started rolling to get to things he wanted...like the Christmas tree and Christmas presents. I would lay him down on his mat, leave the room for a second and come back to find that he had rolled over to a present and was either chewing on it or pulling the bow off. What a rascal! The tree and presents made it through the holidays mostly intact, though.
He also cut his first teeth within a week of beginning month seven. His bottom two teeth came in at exactly the same time.
Month seven brought about new babble sounds. His favorite one is still "dadada" but he threw in some "babababa" and some "shh" and "s" noises as well. He still didn't master the "mamama." We are working on that.
Month seven also brought a bunch of mommy time for Henry. After I finished up my coursework, I got to stay home for almost two whole months. Henry and I really developed a rhythm. At first he really started fighting his naps, especially his third nap of the day. I would have to take him on jogs through the neighborhood to get him to fall asleep. Here is a little snapshot of our precious little guy snoozing after a jog.
With the naps, I had been patting him while he lay in his crib until he fell asleep. However, he started trying to pull up on the side of the crib and cry for me when I was in there, so I had to start laying him down and leaving the room. It just took a few days working with this new routine before he ran with it. Naps are a breeze now. He prefers to fall asleep on his own.
We went for a trip to the Christmas tree farm out in Leicester with Henry this year. Here is Sam being manly, cutting our tree!
Henry Month 8:
On the move! Henry learned how to maneuver around on his belly. We call his rendition of crawling "the wounded soldier crawl." He scoots around on his belly, propelling himself with his elbows and one leg. He keeps the other leg straight. With him on the move, we had to do some baby proofing around the house, covering plug sockets and what-not. He also learned to push up to seated this month and popped three more teeth through! They sure did come quick! It was a really big month for Henry. He became so mobile which has allowed him to see so much more, firing his curiosity. He sure is a curious little guy! He would much rather walk around the house and look at things than play with any toys that he has. We have learned this, especially since Christmas.
This month he also started variegated babbling. Which means that instead of strings of the same consonant-vowel combinations, he has started stringing together different consonant-vowel combinations which makes it sound like he really has something to add to the conversation. Sometimes he just sits and jabbers to himself. I think he really knows what he is talking about. I wish we had a baby jibberish translator. Someone should invent that.
Henry has also become Mr. Personality. He can fake cough, laugh, and yell with the best of them. He really enjoys social interaction and has an award-winning smile. He likes peek-a-boo type games, the cat (poor cat!), and singing songs. He can do patty cake and has started to inconsistently wave. He also thinks it is hilarious when you put something on your face or head like a hat or glasses.
Hallelujah! Henry started sleeping through the night some this month! It was all of a sudden, no warning. He was waking up two times a night, and then he cut it down to one, and then all of a sudden, we had a few nights of no night waking! This trend has continued, I would say we are sleeping through the night 50-60% of the time. Yay! He also started to really lengthen his naps. His morning naps is usually between an hour and two hours long, and he has another nap around 12-1pm that is about the same length. I, then, usually give him one more little nurse nap to get him through to bedtime which is around 7:15-7:30.
So, Henry had his first Christmas. I think it was just another day to him, but with more trash. Like most babies, he enjoyed the paper and boxes way more than the actual presents. He also didn't really get the idea of opening his presents... so we had to help him out a little. He got some neat toys, though. He got a Puff the Magic Dragon jack-in-the-box, a push car (he LOVED this), some clothes, and some cool books. Within a few weeks, he mastered riding his new car by himself. It was a tough few weeks on our backs, though! He would let us push him around on that little car all day if we could physically withstand it. Quickly, though, he learned how to zoom around on his own with a little fancy foot work. He looks like he is a deer sauntering through the forest when he rides his car! We are always within arms reach because he is a distracted driver sometimes and tries to reach for things off to the side. He sure does keep us entertained! We are so lucky to have him!
In other news, Matt and Tanya came to visit over New Years and met Henry for the first time. We had fun with them just catching up and eating a yummy New Years day meal. Sam had a birthday, number 34! Henry keeps him young. He wanted Moe's and cheesecake with homemade hot fudge for his birthday. He also got his perfect birthday day which included a lot of Henry time.
So, I graduated with my Master's in CSD. I was offered and accepted a job with Buncombe County Schools. I started working on January 19th. I was really torn about starting back to work; I wasn't ready to leave Henry. However, I have this shiny new degree to put to use, and gaps of idle time do not look good on a resume. This position also came available, and I had an inside contact, so the opportunity presented itself, and it is hard to say when this opportunity would be available again. Going back to work has been challenging, but thank goodness Henry has become a better sleeper! We manage alright, especially with help from wonderful grandparents. Our house stays pretty clean, and we manage to eat a meal everyday. I try to get home by 4 everyday and see Henry for as much time as I can. We are still adjusting. Aside for having to leave Henry, the job itself has been challenging. There is usually a reason a job becomes available mid-year. This one, unfortunately, was for not a good reason. My predecessor was asked to leave and left everything in a mess. I am still trying to get my land legs, but I just do what I can while I am there and then leave it a work for the next day!
A note from Daddy,
Dear Henry,
When they told me that the baby stage would go by in the blink of an eye, I believed them, but I didn't really "get it" until I experienced it. It seems like just the other day your cries were waking me up in the middle of the night to walk you around the house. Then, without warning, it stopped. You didn't need me to walk around with you. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the sleep, but I missed our time. Then, just the other day, I was holding you horizontally in my arms and thinking how I use to cradle you in my arms and you would just lay there so peacefully. Now it's like holding a 20 pound miniature buckin' bronco. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy our rough housing and tom foolery, but it's just gone by too quick.
Lately, our only nocturnal visitor has been a skunk stinking up the place. One night the smell woke us up. It was so strong we could barely sleep. Oh how we would rather be smelling stinky diapers. Speaking of diapers....
In the world's most extreme method of getting out of changing dirty diapers, I sliced a hunk of my thumb with a carving knife while scraping dried glue from a wooden canteen I'm making. My Dad always told me to cut away from yourself, not towards yourself, but like lots of things, experience makes the best teacher. As soon as I cut myself, I could tell it was the worst I had ever cut myself, and I've accidentally cut myself a lot. So I go inside and tell your Mom I had cut myself and it was the worst I'd ever cut myself, and I probably needed stitches. Well, she was trying to put you down for a nap, so she tells me to go next door to your Nana to wrap it up. I did, and your Nana said I needed stitches. I came back to the house, and waited a bit. I asked your Mom if she thought I should go get stitches. She said, "Well, I'm sure my Dad's had worse and not gotten stitches." So with my manliness at stake, I unwrapped the bandage and showed her the wound. She told me to bend my thumb. When I did, a good hunk of meat didn't move, so she finally relented and said to go to the urgent care.
At urgent care, I got through the line quickly since I was bleeding. I was waiting in a room for a doctor and I kept thinking, "I bet when I unwrap my thumb, it will be ok, and the doctor will wonder why I came in." That was not the case. When he unwrapped it, the blood came gushing. I remember he told me to lay my hand in a growing puddle of my own blood. 12 stitches later, I came home.
About 12 days later, I took out my own stitches, even though they said to come back. It was really easy. Just had to pour a bunch of alcohol on everything. I've finally gotten full range of motion back in my thumb, and I think I learned the lesson my Dad tried to tell me many many times.
In other news, I'm still working on the canteen. I'm also attempting to remove rust from some old Model A parts with vinegar. Whenever I'm not playing with you of course. You really like it when we hold your hands and let you walk around. You are a quick rascal. However, all the bending over really makes me realize why older people complain about their back.
I've thought of a few more possible careers for your to consider one day.
Photographer. You really like to point at pictures and look at them. Repeatedly. Many times. For a long time. Over and over.
Custodial/cleaning staff. Your favorite toys are a broom and my keys. We finally had to buy you a kid broom so you could sweep the floor. You still steal my keys every chance you get. You also like our Shark cordless vacuum and could seriously let us hold you while running the vacuum all day long.
Electrician. You like cords. Pulling them especially. Even when they are attached to something like a lamp that's about to fall off the table onto your head. One thing I'd like to understand is why you's rather have a real remote control rather than the toy one we bought you. Or a real cell phone as opposed to the toy one we bought you. What's that about?
Cobbler/shoe salesman. You like to take our shoes and just throw them or put them somewhere else. I suppose you could call it "creative rearranging." But you like shoes.
No matter what career path you chose, your Mom and I will support you. Possibly literally and financially.
Love,
Dad