Alden is about nine and a half months old. That means his time on the outside is now surpassing his time on the inside. It’s bittersweet. I didn’t particularly enjoy being pregnant, though it wasn’t torture either. But it was probably my only pregnancy. And I have mixed feelings about that. Having an easy baby is hard. Lord people, I cannot imagine what I’d do if I had a second who had colic. But, again, that colicky second is really just a product of my imagination. We’re decided against fertility treatments, just like we were the first time. (Although I will tell you, in secret, that I was close to cracking. But if you remind me of that I will deny it. This time I doubt I will be tempted.) Some of you may be wondering, “What ever happened to that Chinese baby she talked about all the time?” Fair question. She’s still there in my mind, and I’ll write more about that soon.
We went for a well-baby check and some vaccinations yesterday. I always go in with a little bit of an “IKnowYouDisagreeWithOurDecisionsToSpreadOutVaccinationsButIt’sOurDecisionAndWe’veMadeItThanks” chip on my shoulder, but in reality they don’t give us much of a hard time. Once the doctor feels heard, we proceed and get the shots I’ve got on my little schedule. Well and good.
I had my handy list of questions. Does he need a vitamin now? (Yes) He has teeth now, how about fluoride? (Yes). Is this little spot on his leg anything to worry about? (Very probably no, but keep an eye on it.) What’s this rash on his chest and back? (A little eczema). Oh, and…. he’s not crawling yet. That’s no big deal, right? Hahahaha. Some parents are sooooo uptight.
Doctor says:
Does he move around the room at all? Well, he has this thing we call the booty scoot, but he doesn’t get much distance or time out of it.
Does he pull up? He’s tried a few times, but can’t do it without us holding his hands.
Can he get from laying down to sitting? Not even remotely. He does an occasional hopeful crunch, but otherwise accepts his fate in relation to the ground.
He also doesn’t imitate us very well (but is delighted when we imitate him). But I was definitely done offering up his possible shortcomings.
I was very happy to say Yes! Yes! Yes! to: Does he clap? Does he bang toys together? Can he stand with support?
The doctor was very quick to offer reassurance that he is on the late side of normal, not late. That he wouldn’t be late until he couldn’t do these things at 10 months old. Which is in about 20 days. Pressure much? I really believe that he’s slow to develop in this area because he is a) an only child with b) a stay-at-home dad and c) a frequent-work-at-home mom who both d) port his patootie all over the apartment. And that’s fine. I don’t care if he’s behind because we carry him around like a little prince. I’m happy teaching him the lessons of reliable and constant love and affection. He can face down the real world when he’s, you know, old enough to have a pair of shoes. But I have had a few moments of, “That is why. That IS why. I hope.” I do think it is, truly. He can actually walk around (or stagger, really) at great length if we hold his hands. And he even does a little cruising once we stand him up and he can grab his crib rails or the couch cushions.
I truly got a kick out of it when the doctor said, “Well, you know, some people are great readers who just can’t throw a football.” I think perhaps he is, while not ready to call Alden behind, ready to write him off as a physical prodigy.
Alden has, in the 15 minutes I’ve been typing this, managed to migrate about five feet to the mouth of the hallway. He likes to sit there and enjoy the echo his shrieks and gabbles create. He loves it even more in the vestibule of our building, which made our neighbor’s 4-year-old ask me, “Is that Alden who screams his head off in the lobby?”
I’m glad he’s doing that, as he’s been off his game after getting those vaccines. He didn’t take it too hard, but this is the first time he’s ever shown any reaction other than an extra-long afternoon nap. He was feverish last night and out of sorts today. In response we have been running the TV so long I’m surprised it’s not smoking. We’re on a loop of Sesame Street and Blues Clues. These are his favorite kids’ shows, probably because they’re the only ones he’s ever seen. In the evenings he is partial to American Gladiators or anything with singing and dancing. Last night I felt sorry for him so we blew up the air mattress and put it near the air conditioner. Then we laid some waterproof fabric mats on it. Then we stripped him naked and hit up the DVR for his shows. He lolled and watched between frequent nursings. He was quite the little rajah.
Now is time for me to start dinner. Damon is out so I can add a whole stick of butter and he’ll never know.
Mama’s Little Doorstop
jaysaint 
Posted by willowkitty on July 24, 2008 at 12:27 am
cutest doorstop I have ever seen. 🙂
Posted by willowkitty on July 24, 2008 at 12:27 am
cutest doorstop I have ever seen. 🙂
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:43 am
Thank you!
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:43 am
Thank you!
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:43 am
Thank you!
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:43 am
Thank you!
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:43 am
Thank you!
Posted by willowkitty on July 24, 2008 at 12:27 am
cutest doorstop I have ever seen. 🙂
Posted by willowkitty on July 24, 2008 at 12:27 am
cutest doorstop I have ever seen. 🙂
Posted by willowkitty on July 24, 2008 at 12:27 am
cutest doorstop I have ever seen. 🙂
Posted by willowkitty on July 24, 2008 at 12:27 am
cutest doorstop I have ever seen. 🙂
Posted by travellight on July 24, 2008 at 12:36 am
Good grief. That is the most ridiculous kid. I mean that in the best way possible. I can’t wait to meet him. And you. I’m more excited about you, of course.
Posted by travellight on July 24, 2008 at 12:36 am
Good grief. That is the most ridiculous kid. I mean that in the best way possible. I can’t wait to meet him. And you. I’m more excited about you, of course.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:44 am
I’m happy to ride his coattails! We are happily anticipating meeting you as well. It’s very high on our list of celebrations of our return to the South.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:44 am
I’m happy to ride his coattails! We are happily anticipating meeting you as well. It’s very high on our list of celebrations of our return to the South.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:44 am
I’m happy to ride his coattails! We are happily anticipating meeting you as well. It’s very high on our list of celebrations of our return to the South.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:44 am
I’m happy to ride his coattails! We are happily anticipating meeting you as well. It’s very high on our list of celebrations of our return to the South.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:44 am
I’m happy to ride his coattails! We are happily anticipating meeting you as well. It’s very high on our list of celebrations of our return to the South.
Posted by travellight on July 24, 2008 at 12:36 am
Good grief. That is the most ridiculous kid. I mean that in the best way possible. I can’t wait to meet him. And you. I’m more excited about you, of course.
Posted by travellight on July 24, 2008 at 12:36 am
Good grief. That is the most ridiculous kid. I mean that in the best way possible. I can’t wait to meet him. And you. I’m more excited about you, of course.
Posted by travellight on July 24, 2008 at 12:36 am
Good grief. That is the most ridiculous kid. I mean that in the best way possible. I can’t wait to meet him. And you. I’m more excited about you, of course.
Posted by travellight on July 24, 2008 at 12:36 am
Good grief. That is the most ridiculous kid. I mean that in the best way possible. I can’t wait to meet him. And you. I’m more excited about you, of course.
Posted by lemon_says on July 24, 2008 at 2:29 am
Remind yourself too that several of these things on The List are things that are likely within his abilities, but not within the skill set you have taught, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t get a list at his 6-month appointment of the things that he ought to be doing by his 9-month, so you get to that 9-month one and think, oh, shit, he’s NOT MAKING ANIMAL SOUNDS! If you didn’t know to be working on those, so to speak, how the hell would he know them?
Every animal you ask Ezra what sound they make, he grins hugely and says, “MOOOOO!” Sometimes he’ll also meow or bark or oink (his oink is freaking hilarious), but it occurred to me that we don’t read as many of those farm animal books with him that we did with A, because he listens to HER books when we read and she’s rather past the animal noises. At one of his appointments (6-month, maybe? I don’t remember) they asked if he waved bye-bye and I said no, and thought, oh, no, he doesn’t wave bye-bye! Later it occurred to me that we weren’t waving bye-bye to him, so of course he wouldn’t know that.
Alden is a chubber (damn, he’s cute), and they’re very often a bit later on the going from lying to sitting and to walking because they’re like Weebles. Also normal. You would be too if you were round and had short legs and a proportionally giant head. 🙂
And, for the record, Anya never imitated us when she was a baby. It was weird, actually, how uninterested she was in imitation. Girl had her own agenda from the get-go, and you see where that’s gotten us.
Posted by lemon_says on July 24, 2008 at 2:29 am
Remind yourself too that several of these things on The List are things that are likely within his abilities, but not within the skill set you have taught, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t get a list at his 6-month appointment of the things that he ought to be doing by his 9-month, so you get to that 9-month one and think, oh, shit, he’s NOT MAKING ANIMAL SOUNDS! If you didn’t know to be working on those, so to speak, how the hell would he know them?
Every animal you ask Ezra what sound they make, he grins hugely and says, “MOOOOO!” Sometimes he’ll also meow or bark or oink (his oink is freaking hilarious), but it occurred to me that we don’t read as many of those farm animal books with him that we did with A, because he listens to HER books when we read and she’s rather past the animal noises. At one of his appointments (6-month, maybe? I don’t remember) they asked if he waved bye-bye and I said no, and thought, oh, no, he doesn’t wave bye-bye! Later it occurred to me that we weren’t waving bye-bye to him, so of course he wouldn’t know that.
Alden is a chubber (damn, he’s cute), and they’re very often a bit later on the going from lying to sitting and to walking because they’re like Weebles. Also normal. You would be too if you were round and had short legs and a proportionally giant head. 🙂
And, for the record, Anya never imitated us when she was a baby. It was weird, actually, how uninterested she was in imitation. Girl had her own agenda from the get-go, and you see where that’s gotten us.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:50 am
I have to admit that the first thing I thought when I read this was, “Animal sounds! I haven’t even thought about animal sounds.”
But then I came back from Planet Crazy.
Any hope or indication that I have an Anya or Ezra-type kid is a happy thing for me. You’re definitely right that doesn’t and can’t aren’t the same thing. We have a very low tolerance for Alden crying, which means he has a low tolerance for laying on his back like a turtle. We’re so fast to scoop him up. So I think that he really is learning. He knows that if he makes distressed noises we will sit him upright. That’s his version of getting himself upright, which is — stick with my rationalization here — just as legitimate a way to get up. I mean, he’s up, right?
And yes, he’s definitely Weeblish. He has finally slowed his meteoric growth curve, which is good because he’s already hard to carry around. Damon and I are not big people, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues a gentle glide down the growth chart and finally settles in even a little smaller than average. I was, as my mom likes to remind me, past eight years old before I broke 50 pounds.
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 12:16 pm
You and Damon are midgets?
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were and you were just finding out now?
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Yes, it would be awesome to find that out now, as opposed to upon first meeting. Hoo, boy, that would sure be funny, wouldn’t it? Funny like a rubber crutch.
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Yes, it would be awesome to find that out now, as opposed to upon first meeting. Hoo, boy, that would sure be funny, wouldn’t it? Funny like a rubber crutch.
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Yes, it would be awesome to find that out now, as opposed to upon first meeting. Hoo, boy, that would sure be funny, wouldn’t it? Funny like a rubber crutch.
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Yes, it would be awesome to find that out now, as opposed to upon first meeting. Hoo, boy, that would sure be funny, wouldn’t it? Funny like a rubber crutch.
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Yes, it would be awesome to find that out now, as opposed to upon first meeting. Hoo, boy, that would sure be funny, wouldn’t it? Funny like a rubber crutch.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were and you were just finding out now?
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were and you were just finding out now?
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were and you were just finding out now?
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were and you were just finding out now?
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 12:16 pm
You and Damon are midgets?
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 12:16 pm
You and Damon are midgets?
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 12:16 pm
You and Damon are midgets?
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 12:16 pm
You and Damon are midgets?
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Yup. I used to say Anya wouldn’t sleep and people would ask if she cried all the time, and I’d say no. We were holding her or she was nursing. What would she cry about?
Some babies are like that talking, too. Their parents freak out over not much talking, but then people outside the family point out that the kid is pretty effective at family communication with gestures and his or her own sound effects. Sometimes it signals a problem, but it often doesn’t.
Ez is just over 25 pounds, and while I wish we hadn’t gone through all the growth problems when he was a little baby, he was a damn sight easier to carry at 10 pounds. There’s someone in one of the comms who has a 6-month-old who weighs thirty-two pounds. Dude, that’s like lugging a couple of bowling balls with you. My four-year-old is barely 35, and she’s easier to carry than Ez because she clings like a monkey.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I’m ready for that monkey clinging phase to start any time now. Alden likes to lean out as far as he can, all the better to expand his grab radius. It about halves the time I can carry him before my spine telescopes in on itself.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It’s only fair to warn you that the monkey clinging phase comes after the horizontal-let-me-down struggle.
Posted by Anonymous on July 26, 2008 at 4:26 am
I forgot about that one totally. Lord let us get out of NYC before that hits.
Posted by Anonymous on July 26, 2008 at 4:26 am
I forgot about that one totally. Lord let us get out of NYC before that hits.
Posted by Anonymous on July 26, 2008 at 4:26 am
I forgot about that one totally. Lord let us get out of NYC before that hits.
Posted by Anonymous on July 26, 2008 at 4:26 am
I forgot about that one totally. Lord let us get out of NYC before that hits.
Posted by Anonymous on July 26, 2008 at 4:26 am
I forgot about that one totally. Lord let us get out of NYC before that hits.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It’s only fair to warn you that the monkey clinging phase comes after the horizontal-let-me-down struggle.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It’s only fair to warn you that the monkey clinging phase comes after the horizontal-let-me-down struggle.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It’s only fair to warn you that the monkey clinging phase comes after the horizontal-let-me-down struggle.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It’s only fair to warn you that the monkey clinging phase comes after the horizontal-let-me-down struggle.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I’m ready for that monkey clinging phase to start any time now. Alden likes to lean out as far as he can, all the better to expand his grab radius. It about halves the time I can carry him before my spine telescopes in on itself.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I’m ready for that monkey clinging phase to start any time now. Alden likes to lean out as far as he can, all the better to expand his grab radius. It about halves the time I can carry him before my spine telescopes in on itself.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I’m ready for that monkey clinging phase to start any time now. Alden likes to lean out as far as he can, all the better to expand his grab radius. It about halves the time I can carry him before my spine telescopes in on itself.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I’m ready for that monkey clinging phase to start any time now. Alden likes to lean out as far as he can, all the better to expand his grab radius. It about halves the time I can carry him before my spine telescopes in on itself.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Yup. I used to say Anya wouldn’t sleep and people would ask if she cried all the time, and I’d say no. We were holding her or she was nursing. What would she cry about?
Some babies are like that talking, too. Their parents freak out over not much talking, but then people outside the family point out that the kid is pretty effective at family communication with gestures and his or her own sound effects. Sometimes it signals a problem, but it often doesn’t.
Ez is just over 25 pounds, and while I wish we hadn’t gone through all the growth problems when he was a little baby, he was a damn sight easier to carry at 10 pounds. There’s someone in one of the comms who has a 6-month-old who weighs thirty-two pounds. Dude, that’s like lugging a couple of bowling balls with you. My four-year-old is barely 35, and she’s easier to carry than Ez because she clings like a monkey.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Yup. I used to say Anya wouldn’t sleep and people would ask if she cried all the time, and I’d say no. We were holding her or she was nursing. What would she cry about?
Some babies are like that talking, too. Their parents freak out over not much talking, but then people outside the family point out that the kid is pretty effective at family communication with gestures and his or her own sound effects. Sometimes it signals a problem, but it often doesn’t.
Ez is just over 25 pounds, and while I wish we hadn’t gone through all the growth problems when he was a little baby, he was a damn sight easier to carry at 10 pounds. There’s someone in one of the comms who has a 6-month-old who weighs thirty-two pounds. Dude, that’s like lugging a couple of bowling balls with you. My four-year-old is barely 35, and she’s easier to carry than Ez because she clings like a monkey.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Yup. I used to say Anya wouldn’t sleep and people would ask if she cried all the time, and I’d say no. We were holding her or she was nursing. What would she cry about?
Some babies are like that talking, too. Their parents freak out over not much talking, but then people outside the family point out that the kid is pretty effective at family communication with gestures and his or her own sound effects. Sometimes it signals a problem, but it often doesn’t.
Ez is just over 25 pounds, and while I wish we hadn’t gone through all the growth problems when he was a little baby, he was a damn sight easier to carry at 10 pounds. There’s someone in one of the comms who has a 6-month-old who weighs thirty-two pounds. Dude, that’s like lugging a couple of bowling balls with you. My four-year-old is barely 35, and she’s easier to carry than Ez because she clings like a monkey.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Yup. I used to say Anya wouldn’t sleep and people would ask if she cried all the time, and I’d say no. We were holding her or she was nursing. What would she cry about?
Some babies are like that talking, too. Their parents freak out over not much talking, but then people outside the family point out that the kid is pretty effective at family communication with gestures and his or her own sound effects. Sometimes it signals a problem, but it often doesn’t.
Ez is just over 25 pounds, and while I wish we hadn’t gone through all the growth problems when he was a little baby, he was a damn sight easier to carry at 10 pounds. There’s someone in one of the comms who has a 6-month-old who weighs thirty-two pounds. Dude, that’s like lugging a couple of bowling balls with you. My four-year-old is barely 35, and she’s easier to carry than Ez because she clings like a monkey.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:50 am
I have to admit that the first thing I thought when I read this was, “Animal sounds! I haven’t even thought about animal sounds.”
But then I came back from Planet Crazy.
Any hope or indication that I have an Anya or Ezra-type kid is a happy thing for me. You’re definitely right that doesn’t and can’t aren’t the same thing. We have a very low tolerance for Alden crying, which means he has a low tolerance for laying on his back like a turtle. We’re so fast to scoop him up. So I think that he really is learning. He knows that if he makes distressed noises we will sit him upright. That’s his version of getting himself upright, which is — stick with my rationalization here — just as legitimate a way to get up. I mean, he’s up, right?
And yes, he’s definitely Weeblish. He has finally slowed his meteoric growth curve, which is good because he’s already hard to carry around. Damon and I are not big people, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues a gentle glide down the growth chart and finally settles in even a little smaller than average. I was, as my mom likes to remind me, past eight years old before I broke 50 pounds.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:50 am
I have to admit that the first thing I thought when I read this was, “Animal sounds! I haven’t even thought about animal sounds.”
But then I came back from Planet Crazy.
Any hope or indication that I have an Anya or Ezra-type kid is a happy thing for me. You’re definitely right that doesn’t and can’t aren’t the same thing. We have a very low tolerance for Alden crying, which means he has a low tolerance for laying on his back like a turtle. We’re so fast to scoop him up. So I think that he really is learning. He knows that if he makes distressed noises we will sit him upright. That’s his version of getting himself upright, which is — stick with my rationalization here — just as legitimate a way to get up. I mean, he’s up, right?
And yes, he’s definitely Weeblish. He has finally slowed his meteoric growth curve, which is good because he’s already hard to carry around. Damon and I are not big people, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues a gentle glide down the growth chart and finally settles in even a little smaller than average. I was, as my mom likes to remind me, past eight years old before I broke 50 pounds.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:50 am
I have to admit that the first thing I thought when I read this was, “Animal sounds! I haven’t even thought about animal sounds.”
But then I came back from Planet Crazy.
Any hope or indication that I have an Anya or Ezra-type kid is a happy thing for me. You’re definitely right that doesn’t and can’t aren’t the same thing. We have a very low tolerance for Alden crying, which means he has a low tolerance for laying on his back like a turtle. We’re so fast to scoop him up. So I think that he really is learning. He knows that if he makes distressed noises we will sit him upright. That’s his version of getting himself upright, which is — stick with my rationalization here — just as legitimate a way to get up. I mean, he’s up, right?
And yes, he’s definitely Weeblish. He has finally slowed his meteoric growth curve, which is good because he’s already hard to carry around. Damon and I are not big people, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues a gentle glide down the growth chart and finally settles in even a little smaller than average. I was, as my mom likes to remind me, past eight years old before I broke 50 pounds.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:50 am
I have to admit that the first thing I thought when I read this was, “Animal sounds! I haven’t even thought about animal sounds.”
But then I came back from Planet Crazy.
Any hope or indication that I have an Anya or Ezra-type kid is a happy thing for me. You’re definitely right that doesn’t and can’t aren’t the same thing. We have a very low tolerance for Alden crying, which means he has a low tolerance for laying on his back like a turtle. We’re so fast to scoop him up. So I think that he really is learning. He knows that if he makes distressed noises we will sit him upright. That’s his version of getting himself upright, which is — stick with my rationalization here — just as legitimate a way to get up. I mean, he’s up, right?
And yes, he’s definitely Weeblish. He has finally slowed his meteoric growth curve, which is good because he’s already hard to carry around. Damon and I are not big people, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues a gentle glide down the growth chart and finally settles in even a little smaller than average. I was, as my mom likes to remind me, past eight years old before I broke 50 pounds.
Posted by lemon_says on July 24, 2008 at 2:29 am
Remind yourself too that several of these things on The List are things that are likely within his abilities, but not within the skill set you have taught, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t get a list at his 6-month appointment of the things that he ought to be doing by his 9-month, so you get to that 9-month one and think, oh, shit, he’s NOT MAKING ANIMAL SOUNDS! If you didn’t know to be working on those, so to speak, how the hell would he know them?
Every animal you ask Ezra what sound they make, he grins hugely and says, “MOOOOO!” Sometimes he’ll also meow or bark or oink (his oink is freaking hilarious), but it occurred to me that we don’t read as many of those farm animal books with him that we did with A, because he listens to HER books when we read and she’s rather past the animal noises. At one of his appointments (6-month, maybe? I don’t remember) they asked if he waved bye-bye and I said no, and thought, oh, no, he doesn’t wave bye-bye! Later it occurred to me that we weren’t waving bye-bye to him, so of course he wouldn’t know that.
Alden is a chubber (damn, he’s cute), and they’re very often a bit later on the going from lying to sitting and to walking because they’re like Weebles. Also normal. You would be too if you were round and had short legs and a proportionally giant head. 🙂
And, for the record, Anya never imitated us when she was a baby. It was weird, actually, how uninterested she was in imitation. Girl had her own agenda from the get-go, and you see where that’s gotten us.
Posted by lemon_says on July 24, 2008 at 2:29 am
Remind yourself too that several of these things on The List are things that are likely within his abilities, but not within the skill set you have taught, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t get a list at his 6-month appointment of the things that he ought to be doing by his 9-month, so you get to that 9-month one and think, oh, shit, he’s NOT MAKING ANIMAL SOUNDS! If you didn’t know to be working on those, so to speak, how the hell would he know them?
Every animal you ask Ezra what sound they make, he grins hugely and says, “MOOOOO!” Sometimes he’ll also meow or bark or oink (his oink is freaking hilarious), but it occurred to me that we don’t read as many of those farm animal books with him that we did with A, because he listens to HER books when we read and she’s rather past the animal noises. At one of his appointments (6-month, maybe? I don’t remember) they asked if he waved bye-bye and I said no, and thought, oh, no, he doesn’t wave bye-bye! Later it occurred to me that we weren’t waving bye-bye to him, so of course he wouldn’t know that.
Alden is a chubber (damn, he’s cute), and they’re very often a bit later on the going from lying to sitting and to walking because they’re like Weebles. Also normal. You would be too if you were round and had short legs and a proportionally giant head. 🙂
And, for the record, Anya never imitated us when she was a baby. It was weird, actually, how uninterested she was in imitation. Girl had her own agenda from the get-go, and you see where that’s gotten us.
Posted by lemon_says on July 24, 2008 at 2:29 am
Remind yourself too that several of these things on The List are things that are likely within his abilities, but not within the skill set you have taught, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t get a list at his 6-month appointment of the things that he ought to be doing by his 9-month, so you get to that 9-month one and think, oh, shit, he’s NOT MAKING ANIMAL SOUNDS! If you didn’t know to be working on those, so to speak, how the hell would he know them?
Every animal you ask Ezra what sound they make, he grins hugely and says, “MOOOOO!” Sometimes he’ll also meow or bark or oink (his oink is freaking hilarious), but it occurred to me that we don’t read as many of those farm animal books with him that we did with A, because he listens to HER books when we read and she’s rather past the animal noises. At one of his appointments (6-month, maybe? I don’t remember) they asked if he waved bye-bye and I said no, and thought, oh, no, he doesn’t wave bye-bye! Later it occurred to me that we weren’t waving bye-bye to him, so of course he wouldn’t know that.
Alden is a chubber (damn, he’s cute), and they’re very often a bit later on the going from lying to sitting and to walking because they’re like Weebles. Also normal. You would be too if you were round and had short legs and a proportionally giant head. 🙂
And, for the record, Anya never imitated us when she was a baby. It was weird, actually, how uninterested she was in imitation. Girl had her own agenda from the get-go, and you see where that’s gotten us.
Posted by lemon_says on July 24, 2008 at 2:29 am
Remind yourself too that several of these things on The List are things that are likely within his abilities, but not within the skill set you have taught, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t get a list at his 6-month appointment of the things that he ought to be doing by his 9-month, so you get to that 9-month one and think, oh, shit, he’s NOT MAKING ANIMAL SOUNDS! If you didn’t know to be working on those, so to speak, how the hell would he know them?
Every animal you ask Ezra what sound they make, he grins hugely and says, “MOOOOO!” Sometimes he’ll also meow or bark or oink (his oink is freaking hilarious), but it occurred to me that we don’t read as many of those farm animal books with him that we did with A, because he listens to HER books when we read and she’s rather past the animal noises. At one of his appointments (6-month, maybe? I don’t remember) they asked if he waved bye-bye and I said no, and thought, oh, no, he doesn’t wave bye-bye! Later it occurred to me that we weren’t waving bye-bye to him, so of course he wouldn’t know that.
Alden is a chubber (damn, he’s cute), and they’re very often a bit later on the going from lying to sitting and to walking because they’re like Weebles. Also normal. You would be too if you were round and had short legs and a proportionally giant head. 🙂
And, for the record, Anya never imitated us when she was a baby. It was weird, actually, how uninterested she was in imitation. Girl had her own agenda from the get-go, and you see where that’s gotten us.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:43 am
Thank you!
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:44 am
I’m happy to ride his coattails! We are happily anticipating meeting you as well. It’s very high on our list of celebrations of our return to the South.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 12:50 am
I have to admit that the first thing I thought when I read this was, “Animal sounds! I haven’t even thought about animal sounds.”
But then I came back from Planet Crazy.
Any hope or indication that I have an Anya or Ezra-type kid is a happy thing for me. You’re definitely right that doesn’t and can’t aren’t the same thing. We have a very low tolerance for Alden crying, which means he has a low tolerance for laying on his back like a turtle. We’re so fast to scoop him up. So I think that he really is learning. He knows that if he makes distressed noises we will sit him upright. That’s his version of getting himself upright, which is — stick with my rationalization here — just as legitimate a way to get up. I mean, he’s up, right?
And yes, he’s definitely Weeblish. He has finally slowed his meteoric growth curve, which is good because he’s already hard to carry around. Damon and I are not big people, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues a gentle glide down the growth chart and finally settles in even a little smaller than average. I was, as my mom likes to remind me, past eight years old before I broke 50 pounds.
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 12:16 pm
You and Damon are midgets?
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Yup. I used to say Anya wouldn’t sleep and people would ask if she cried all the time, and I’d say no. We were holding her or she was nursing. What would she cry about?
Some babies are like that talking, too. Their parents freak out over not much talking, but then people outside the family point out that the kid is pretty effective at family communication with gestures and his or her own sound effects. Sometimes it signals a problem, but it often doesn’t.
Ez is just over 25 pounds, and while I wish we hadn’t gone through all the growth problems when he was a little baby, he was a damn sight easier to carry at 10 pounds. There’s someone in one of the comms who has a 6-month-old who weighs thirty-two pounds. Dude, that’s like lugging a couple of bowling balls with you. My four-year-old is barely 35, and she’s easier to carry than Ez because she clings like a monkey.
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were and you were just finding out now?
Posted by jaysaint on July 25, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I’m ready for that monkey clinging phase to start any time now. Alden likes to lean out as far as he can, all the better to expand his grab radius. It about halves the time I can carry him before my spine telescopes in on itself.
Posted by travellight on July 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Yes, it would be awesome to find that out now, as opposed to upon first meeting. Hoo, boy, that would sure be funny, wouldn’t it? Funny like a rubber crutch.
Posted by lemon_says on July 25, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It’s only fair to warn you that the monkey clinging phase comes after the horizontal-let-me-down struggle.
Posted by Anonymous on July 26, 2008 at 4:26 am
I forgot about that one totally. Lord let us get out of NYC before that hits.