Progressive dinner?

Henry proved his chopstick proficiency on Saturday night. Pretty impressive for a kid who only recently conceded to using regular utensils without constant reminders.

He is also having an after dinner coffee now. Kidding. It's hot chocolate.

Nothing more than feelings...

Henry had to stay home from school on Tuesday due to waking in the middle of the night with a fever and barking like a seal until he stood ouside in the cold air.  Until 1:30 AM, he gave us no indication of being sick.

When I took H to school on Wednesday, Ms. Susan said that one of the student teachers told her that, on Monday, Henry was upset about something--so much so that he was full on crying and it carried on for quite a while.  The teacher asked H if he was going to be OK since it's very uncommon for Henry to be that upset.  He said to her, "I'm just so mad at myself.  I'm trying to stop crying, but I can't!"  Then, pointing to his eyes, he said, "Do you see these tears?" 

Man, that story made me sad.  I had no idea he probably wasn't feeling well on Monday afternoon.  I sort of wish that I could go back in time, be in the classroom, and console him myself.  I also wonder how he knows when he's mad at himself.  Hmmmm... so much to think about. 

On a positive note, I am always glad to hear him identify his feelings.

6 Months! (AKA 1/2 a Year)

Try as I might, I cannot stop time.  It keeps passing, and my baby keeps growing, and he turned six months old yesterday.  Despite his refusal to sit (or even try to sit) unassisted, he's packing in the milestones:

First tooth:  Actually make it first THREE teeth!  Ouch, baby!  I haven't been able to get a shot of the drool makers, but three teeth made their appearance last Thursday afternoon.  His teacher called me to let me know that he was fussy and pulling his ear, and by the time I got to school, she said, "Didn't you say that the doctor told you that he wasn't teething?  Well, I see three teeth."  No ear infection--just a painful bone growing process. 

Further illnesses:  Speaking of ear infections and other illnesses, he had his second round of antibiotics for a double ear infection, and he's now upgraded to an inhaled steroid for his lungs in an effort to prevent further bronchiolitis.  This season is just plain rough.  I blame the warmer weather and the winter viruses that just won't die!  I also blame myself for not being able to afford a private nanny for EW.  Ugh.  He has another cold now as I type.  Hopefully, it will not lead to further lung issues or another ear infection.

Eating:  EW is eating quite a lot of breatmilk, and right at 5 1/2 months, we gave him his first bites of rice cereal.  After Elgin's regular nursing time, Daddy fed him a few bites on a Saturday and a Sunday, and EW didn't poop on Saturday or Sunday then finally pooped on Monday evening.  No thanks, cereal.  We just reintroduced it this morning, and I predict that he was much more ready at a full six months.  He didn't push it back with his tongue, and he actually seemed a little more enthusiastic about it.  Sometimes waiting is the best thing.  Let's hope his digestive system agrees.

Travel:  Elgin cannot be trusted to stay put.  He rolls and actually gets some lying-on-the-back scooting done rather quickly.  I believe it's his desire to be on the move that prevents him from wanting to sit.  Why sit and watch when I can roll to what I want?  He's spending a little more time in the front carrier now, although I usually have him facing me so that he can rest his head and fall asleep.

Chatter:  We are enjoying his latest conversation pieces: monsters.  He sounds like one with his low, guttural sounds that he loves now.  The spitting--masterfully long seconds of it--is pretty cute too, for now.  

Laughter:  Penny cracks him up.  All it takes is for her to look up at him.  We try to catch it on video, but it's so hard to put him down to get the phone or flip.  It's just too cute!  H is still the preferred human humor.  

What is to come:  I don't wish for any other milestone than sitting.  The crawling, pulling, up, and subsequent walking can wait as long as it wants to wait.  

Personality:  I know I said it before, but despite the breathing treatments, runny nose, irritated GI system, ear infections, nasty antibiotics, and triple tooth growing, he's just so happy!  A friend calls him Easy E just based on his laid back and contented demeanor--not a tendency towards the arts.  No one would suspect this baby has protein allergies, etc.  (Well, unless they listen to me talk incessantly about what I can and cannot eat or read this particular blog.)  I love this baby's outlook.

The sun shown brightly and temperatures rose on Thursday afternoon, so I couldn't resist the opportunity to take his six month shots about 10 hours earlier than his official 6 month day.  

Trails

Cory and I typically loathe February, but we had a very mild winter so far, and February actually gave us some gorgeous days. For instance, today was supposed to be warm but rainy, and we got warm and cloudy, instead. We took the opportunity to explore a different part of the new trail system that runs through our city and connects several parks. We crossed very cool bridges and saw three ducks, three turtles, countless bird nests, and a man running what H insisted was a fox. (It was a dog.)

Perhaps I'll have a new attitude toward February. There are still more of its days ahead, though. We shall see.

Why things are chocolate covered

Today I remembered that I actually did buy Cory a Valentine's present, and I was able to locate it under my t-shirt stack--a bag of chocolate covered potato chips.  Henry was so excited to see this gift bestowed upon his dad.

Tonight Daddy reminded Henry that they would try them after dinner.  Henry got excited and said, "They're chocolate covered so that no one will know you're eating a potato chip."

Anatomically correct

It was always very important to Cory and me that our children call their body parts by their correct names, so we are accustomed to H's early questions about why I didn't have a penis, etc...

One of H's teachers told me that she really needed to tell me something before I left today.  

She and Henry were putting together a puzzle this afternoon--an innocent image of a teddy bear holding a smaller teddy bear--and H picked up the small, oval piece and said, "You know what this reminds me of?"

Ms. Denise:  No, what?
Henry: An ottoman
Ms. Denise, trying to be clever:  Henry, I don't know what an ottoman is.  What is it?
Henry:  You know... that thing under your penis.

Nice.

Valentines

My Funny Valentine

My Sweet Valentine

A few things that I want to remember:

This year, Henry wrote all of his Valentines himself--the To and the From.  Well, except for the three kids with super long names.  It's impossible for him to fit their names in the small little square.

Elgin's class exchanged Valentines, which is somehow so cute.  Their "mailboxes" were their individual diapers with the tabs closed, taped to the door--perfect for holding a few special valentines.

Henry and I made treats for his teachers and Elgin's teachers.  Daddy was also a recipient.  I really think I'm going to have to make them again next year so that I can try a few.

Elgin took a 15 minute nap this afternoon.  The nap was brief, but he was unswaddled!  Maybe he'll be sleeping without being tightly wrapped up before he's 15, after all.

I like Valentine's day.  Sure, it's a commercial/ consumer holiday, but I'll celebrate love with great joy.  Maybe it's because I do love my Main Valentine so much.  Thanks for the TED friendly steak dinner, my love.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Adventures in Bowling

Henry chose a bowling party for his closest friends this year, and I hope he wants to do it again next year.

Let me offer this piece of advice:  If you want to have some bend over laughing fun, take a group of 4-6 year olds bowling.  Mainly, take four year olds.

Henry's advice is to release the bowling ball granny style then give it a good, swift kick for momentum.

Henry joined his friend C and bowled a friendly game of boys v. girls.  No one really kept score, but I did look up and see that the girls out-scored the boys.  To the boys' credit, they are both 4, and there were two six year old girls.  H's friend M didn't make it (date and time confusion=an upset M=a make-up bowling date in the future), so the boys were also outnumbered.

 A caught air!

See Shane's bowling ball there?  H actually picked it up by accident and used it once.  My boy is strong!

 Skills in action:

 C had good form!

So did K!

I think E got a strike after this shot.

 So happy to finally be four:)

 Fortunately, no one got their fingers smashed in the ball conveyor belt/ sorter thing.

 H's tried and true form:

Or, sometimes... the over-hand toss

Serious about this bowling thing:

 My favorite pic:

 They would all watch, watch, watch, and watch their ball make its way slowly down the lane.

 (I was asked to turn off my flash, so we got some blurry shots.)

Come on, ball!

 Cupcakes!

Post pizza cupcake.  He actually ate some of the cake part, which is likely because it's chocolate.  The boy loves chocolate.

Cutest accessories of the day were the cupcake toppers and the bowling shoes.  I also loved the dress that K picked out for bowling.  

Happy birthday to my funny kid who is officially four because he went bowling.