Perfect Ten

It’s that time of month again.  My boy is now Ten Months old as of yesterday.  He’s had a big month.

No status reports on measurements, but I’m sure he’s gotta be at least 20lbs by now.  We’ve been trying to fatten this boy up so he gets out of the 28 percentile in weight. 

He’s now eating four meals a day.  And he’s finally started eating finger foods successfully.  He enjoys Gerber’s Puffs now and knows immediately what to do with them.  Before, he hesitated but now he picks them up and puts them right into his mouth.  And it used to get messy as he would push bits out of his mouth as he chewed but he’s gotten better about keeping it all in his mouth.

 

We’ve also given him some Gerber’s Yogurt bites too and those are still messy, and sticky.  But he likes those too.  That’s about all so far for finger foods though.  I’ve tried some diced apples but he doesn’t bother with those yet.  Won’t even touch ‘em.  Hopefully that will be a triumph this next month.

He’s been walking around like crazy, assisted of course.  He’s scaling all the furniture and walls to get from room to room.  He enjoys his “Dino” walker that my parents have at their place.  And we decided to get him this “Cars” themed ride-along/walker for our place too.  We thought about getting it for his first birthday but I couldn’t resist giving it to him right away.

Now, a few words from Lucas!

Milestones

This month I’ve gotten much faster crawling around and walking along the walls.  I’ve even surprised the cats a few times by sneaking up on them.

I went to my first baseball game this month!  And I was such a big boy by staying awake the whole game.  I had a great time cheering on the team and flirting with all the ladies.

And I sure missed Dada a bunch this month.  He was gone away for work for a total of 14 days.  But Mama and I were able to get by without burning the house down.

And now, I’m working on more teeth.  I’m having trouble sleeping at night because my top teeth are working their way through.  So by next month I should have a whole new smile!

Running with the Bulls

We had been wanting to go to a baseball game all Summer and finally got around to it.  So Lucas saw his first baseball game!  We went to see the Minor League Durham Bulls.

Highlights from the Game:

Waiting until the last minute to go and get tickets - and getting tickets in the last section they had available {SOLD OUT}.  Crappy tickets in Right field.

Enjoying a 24oz beer.

Squeezing into our itty bitty seats, with neighbors.  {Fortunately no one too large was next to us.}

Two Home Runs {with one RBI} in the second inning.

Enjoying a Pretzel with cheese!!!!

Adoring Lucas in his baseball outfit.

Tripping up the step while holding Lucas.  I was trying to stay to my side {right} while others came down and apparently the step didn't extend as far as I thought.  Down I went on my legs to break my fall.  I'm scraped up and bruised a bit on one knee and one shin, but I know you really just care about how Lucas is...  He's OKAY!  :)

Watching the visiting team take the lead with a ridiculous number of runs in the fifth inning...

Taking this cute photo and tweeting it to @DurhamBulls #BullsFanPhotos in hopes that it would end up on their digital board. {If it did make it up there it was after we left.}

Enjoying a strawberry sno-cone.  {Eh, by the time I got to the flavored ice that was near the bottom my mouth was way too cold to even taste the flavor.}

Having to sit through another four innings without taking back the lead.

Watching the mascot, Wool E. Bull, run out during a break with a line of young kids following him also dressed as little bulls!!  HOW CUTE!!


Hard to see, I know.  But little kids dressed up as little Bull Mascots!


Lucas staying awake the ENTIRE game.  Not one nap!

Watching my son flirt with the young ladies around us, and watching their ovaries itch at the sight of him.  :)

Losing to the visiting team.  But I hear they won the Sunday game.

Stopping in the gift shop as we left and getting Lucas an infant baseball cap!  Still a bit big but he should be able to wear it next season.

Spending some family time together. :)

Show and Tell

The Show and Tell item?  That would be my son.

Yeah, apparently he is toted from classroom to classroom at daycare.  He doesn't just stay in the infant room.  Apparently everyone just loves to show him off.

Now, I know I keep exhausting this topic, but I only mention it again in such a short time frame because this scenario happened.

I went to pick up Lucas from school again today per usual.  As soon as I walk through the door the owner, Erika, snatches me up for a chat. 

Erika: "I just wanted you to know, that Lucas is the most popular kid in this place.  All the teachers love him.  All the other kids love him.  And {as her young daughter walks by} even my daughter wants to eat him right up.  I went into the infant room this morning and I didn't see him.  I asked "Where's Lucas?" and they said Such-and-Such-Teacher took him into her classroom.  They love to take him around to all their classes because he's just the happiest baby... So anyway, I just wanted you to know everyone loves him!"

Now, yes, I definitely knew that.  But now I know how all the big kids know Lucas so well.  It's not just from the mornings when we drop him off in the one room where all kids are collected until more teachers and kids show up. 

Hubby and I aren't sure exactly how we feel about him being carted from class to class though.  I mean, it's gotta be a bit difficult to keep tabs on him, and that's a whole lot more opportunities to get illnesses.  Hmm, maybe we should be signing some sort of permission slip allowing him to take trips to the big kids' rooms?

Anywho, as I was walking down the hall with him I chose to actually let him walk down the hall as opposed to carrying him.  I held his little hand in mine and we slowly {slowly} walked down the hallway. I wish I could've taken a picture of us!  Another Mom with her two big-kid sons were coming up behind us.

Other BoyMom: "Ah, look at him walking."
Oldest BoySon: "THAT'S Lucas!"

So yeah, I keep bringing it up, but it amazes us how loveable he is with so many people!



The closest I could get to a nose-picking shot.  He's so fast...  And he was really digging here.



Hiya there!  Oh, and Hello Box! {I actually tossed a toy in the box and told him to "FETCH!"...and he did!}

Ready for Round Two?

Well, Hubby is set to travel again for work.  It was planned to only be for the week, as in, travel Monday, get there, and travel back Friday.  But he just informed me that he was asked to stay through the weekend again.  Until what day I do not know yet.  But it will likely be another 9-11 days planned.  ::sigh::

 

Meanwhile, Lucas has been sleeping through the night in his own room since Hubby's been back home.  I've come to the conclusion that my son is very observant.  He knew his Dada wasn't there and he didn't want his Mama to be lonely at night.  So he kept waking up in the middle of the night to sleep in bed with me and give me some company.  Such a good boy...  Well, good intentions anyway.  Of course, I love snuggling with him - not that that's actually what I do.  How can you snuggle with an infant who moves around so much anyway?  Still, good intentions, that boy of mine.

 

So come next Monday I will have to be prepared yet again to parent it out single-handedly.  And most likely will have a little bed partner to keep me company if he figures it out again.

 

 

 

In other news, I mentioned last night on my Facebook feed:

 

"Just put Lucas in the bath tub. He immediately stood up and began to pee.

 

THAT is when it became Dada's job to finish the bath.

 

Such a boy..."

 

That being said, is it too early to begin potty training?  I mean he's 9.5 months...  If it occurs to him to stand to pee then maybe he's ready??  Regardless, I can't help him with that.  That's Dada's territory.  I'm sure it's too early.  But worth contemplating I suppose.

I told you it would stick

Way back when, it was either when I was still pregnant with Lucas or shortly after he was born, I was contemplating his nicknames.  Remember we had already planned on calling him Luke?

 

Well, I recall a day when my parents were with us and the converstation stumbled upon this topic. 

 

"He's my wittle Luke-y."

 

"NO!", both Hubby and my Dad had said. 

 

"That's too much like loogie...that's an awful nickname to have."

 

I just smiled and knew that that was true, but nonetheless you couldn't get around it.

 

As I've mentioned before I am fond of Lucas' daycare.  He's usually the first infant to get dropped off in the mornings and at that time there is usually anywhere from one to four other "big kids" already there. 

 

It started out with them saying "Baby!...a BABY."  "Yeah, that's Lucas", the teacher would say.

 

Eventually it became, "Lucas is HERE!"

 

His face would always beam with smiles.  :)

 

The other week I finally heard it.  "Luke-y!  LUKE-Y!...you wanna come play?!"

 

Uh oh.  Haha.  Wait til Hubby hears this.

 

I knew it was inevitable.  When getting all lovey-dovey about things like children do people always end up adding the "-y" to things. 

 

Doggy.  Kitty.  Mommy.  Daddy.

 

Needless to say, it wasn't me.  I didn't do it.  The big kids started it.  :)

 

On a side note, I often wonder what my son does all day at school.  Soo many of the big kids seem to know him.  How is that?  He's in the infant room. 

 

One day last week I was picking him up.  It was about a quarter to closing time because that's when the teachers gather all the big kids and have them wait in the hallway with their things, so they are ready when their parents come get them.  I was leaving with Lucas and wading through all the big kids down the hallway.  Then you hear it.

 

"Luke-y!"  "There's Lucas."  "He's my favorite of the babies."  "Bye Luke-y!"

 

:)

 

Made me smile.  That kid must get around.

 

 

 

 

Belated Wishes and an Updated Banner

Happy belated birthday to my Eldest Bro!

I didn't forget, and I did actually wish him a happy birthday on his actual birthday.  I just wanted to do so on here as well, so that's what is late.  :)

And I finally updated my banner for August.  Another snapshot of me with my brother in honor of his special day as well.

Hope you enjoyed your pizza with the parents!

My Stint as a Single Parent

Nine Days.

Eight Nights.

Not much rest.


That about sums it up.

Hubby was out of town for work.  He just got back last night.  He was planned to be gone for eleven days.  Aren't I lucky he got to come home early? 

I'll be honest.  I made it a full week and then some.  But that last day I think I was close to my breaking point.  Neither one of us have had to be on our own with the boy for longer than a few days.  Usually we have family helping us out if needed.

He left on a Monday morning.  We dropped him off at the airport.  Then from there we had Lucas' nine month check-up and then I went off to work for a few hours.  The moment I picked him up from school is when I was on my own.  Our first night of many, alone.

My main concerns were that Lucas wouldn't sleep through the morning and allow me to get myself ready for work before I had to get him up and ready.  My routine consists of me showering and washing my hair in the mornings.  {I need clean hair.}  I was going to be so unhappy if I couldn't wash my hair...

The first night Lucas slept through the night in his own room.  {Yay!}  It was definitely a great start to my single mommyhood.  The next night, not so much.  He woke up in the middle of the night and wouldn't get back to sleep in his crib, so I had to bring him in bed with me.  And of course as soon as you lay him down in our bed he conks out and begins snoring.  {Spoiled. Rotten.}  But at about 4am I was able to move him back to his room and when my alarm went off at 5:30am he was still asleep.  Score...I was able to still get my shower and myself ready for work before getting him up.

So out of eight nights, only three of them he was able to sleep in his own bed.  Majority of them I was still able to move him to his room before I had to get up and ready for work.  The very last morning however was the first and only that he didn't sleep in and allow me to get my shower.  Ugh.  Dirty hair = Hair pulled back. 

But in the evenings we established a routine that worked for us.  We get home by 6pm and shortly after that I get him his evening bottle.  We watch tv while he plays and moves around all over the place.  Between 7:30-8pm he would get his bath and play.  After that I dress him in his jammies so there's no more scooting around allowed.  Majority of the time he would have worn himself out and settle in my lap as we watched more tv.  I would get him one more bottle to fill up his tummy and he would usually fall asleep shortly thereafter.

Off to his crib he would go.  Then it was time for me to get some stuff done around the house.  Wash his bottles.  Load/unload the dishwasher.  Run a load of laundry.  Put away clothes.  And after I caught up on house chores I was able to ready myself for bed and maybe even read a book or watch some more tv before going to sleep, usually between 10-11pm.  My nightly phone call with Hubby would occur at this time too!

And then as I said, throughout the night he may or may not have woken up and had to be settled down.

And for the nights he insisted on sleeping in my bed, I so cherished the tossing and turning he would do, kicking me and such.  :)

Hubby was also gone during the weekend.  Lucas and I pretty much spent the whole weekend at home playing, throwing tantrums, then napping from tantrum exhaustion, and repeat...  My biggest accomplishment: I was able to get all his new 9-12 month clothes sorted and washed.

Tantrum Time!

One of many naps we enjoyed.



New Big Boy outfit from Wittlebee



But overall, I really enjoyed my time with the boy.  He started using his M's more and rather than all the "ada da da's" he's been saying, he's starting saying more "ama ma ma's".  :)  He started "scaling" the walls and furniture as I like to put it; walking along all the furniture and the walls to get from room to room.  He just keeps getting faster at it! 

One of our "Good Morning" picture texts sent to Hubby

That last day however was a lot of relief the moment we arrived at the airport to pick up Hubby.  Lucas and I made a little sign welcoming home Dada.  We got a few Aww's as people passed by.  And I swear that Hubby had to have been the very last person off the stupid plane!  Talk about suspense.  But as soon as he came out we all had big smiles on our faces.  Hubby once he saw us with our little sign.  And me once I saw Hubby and realized FREEDOM!!!  {Hehe.}

Needless to say I value Hubby's support, and I'm glad I'm not doing this alone.  I commend all the single parents out there!  I wish I could say this will be my only "stint" as a single parent but Hubby has to go out of town again for another week this month.  :(  But that should only be 4-5 days at least. 

I'll get through it.  I know I can now.

First of the Month

 

 

It's that time of month again.  There is a lot of significance to the first of the month.

 

The worst being that awful Rent check we have to write.  Ugh.  Like pulling off a Band-Aid!!  {Fortunately that closely follows the end-of-the-month Pay Day.}

 

On the better end it means, for me, a fresh new pair of contacts.  Ahh...  My eyes thanked me this morning once those fresh new contacts were placed onto them.  So refreshing!

 

It's also the time that we do a few things around the house like replace the air filter {ooh, gotta remember to do that since the Hubby is out of town}.

 

We also try to administer the pets' flea prevention and heart worm medicines at this time {yet another thing to remember to do tonight}.  And with that comes special canned food meals for them!  They enjoy their treats.

 

And for Lucas, it usually means that he just turned a month older.  Just on Monday he turned 9 months.  Which also means that he's beginning his tenth month of life now!  {Only 17 years and 3 months left to go...}  Hmm, I still need to think of a tag line for his monthly photos... 

          And this just so happens to coincide with his new wardrobe that I have to go through.  He's entered the 9-12mth sizes and I haven't yet sorted through all those clothes to de-tag and wash, and then pack up the old.  I think I'll save that to do this weekend perhaps.

 

The first of the month is also when I usually update my blog's banner since I started changing those out monthly.  Of course, I haven't gotten around to that yet...been a little busy playing Single Parent, so I haven't done much more than even think about it.  Maybe if I have time tonight...

 

There's also significance for it being the first of August.  Like my specifically choosing to eat chicken nuggets at McDonald's for lunch (#notchickfila).  You can read a well-written blog post here about the issue.  And that's that.

 

Yum!

 

 

What's your typical First of the Month routines?