Michael is Eight Months Old!

First off, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all... oops. Wrong speech. Rather, I'd like you all to notice that Michael's recap is ONLY TWO DAYS LATE!!! Record, I know. And no. That does not, in any way, mean I like him more than Emma.

This is going to be short, and not just because he's short. Oh no.. because so very much has happened this month, but it's all stuff that can be summed up quick & easy. Yes, you should thank me.



But before I get into that, I've got to tell you just how much Emma cracks the little guy up. She'll look at him, say something completely out of nowhere. Something like "CHICKEN!!" And he'll bust a gut laughing.

Other times, he'll spit his food at her during mealtimes, and the two of them will just howl with laughter.. I don't get it. But then, I'm the one who has to clean it up.



He's starting to become a total real little person! No longer just a ball of mushy fat that I can leave propped up against wall, and occasionally walk by and wipe away the drool that gathers at the corners of his oft-open mouth. No... he now has interests! Real interests!! Like lights! And music! And toys that do things! And his weiner!! Dear God, how this kid LOVES his weiner!!

HOWEVER... Big HOWEVER... sleeping is still a major issue. Or, more accurately, lack of sleeping. On a regular basis, Michael is still up no less than SIX TIMES a night. He is still sleeping in our bed. Has actually NEVER slept in his crib yet. Okay, to let you in on the sad pathetic truth, we still haven't gotten around to even setting up his bedroom. The plan was - is - eventually - for Emma to move into her big girl bed (aka, the guest room bed) and Michael to move into her crib. Well, Emma is still in her crib and I kinda like her there. She's happy, not jumping out, not leaving in the middle of the night to get gummy bears from the kitchen. It's still working for me. Although I'm finally starting to warm to the idea of at least painting Michael's room. It does seem only right, dontcha think?

I should also mention that he's weighing in at a healthy 20.6 lbs. Yes, I'm sharing this information because all those baby books still have yet to arrive.



The only thing that is actually making me want to kick him out of my bed is that I continue to be his own personal human pacifier. It sucks. Or, more accurately, he sucks. Me. Raw.

I've also got to let the little guy know just how great of a big sister Emma is turning out to be.. Like, if he's crying she'll often turn to me and say, "What's the matter with my brodder?" Or she'll just pat him on the head and tell him, "It's okay, little guy." Just yesterday we were in the mall, and Michael's sleeve had come down, covering his hand. Emma was sitting next to him in the double stroller and actually, very quietly, was working on pulling his sleeve up for him. Freakin' adorable. She'll even share her toys with him, provided he doesn't try to eat them. And she also helps clean up his barf.

Okay... here goes. Here are the BIG ACHIEVEMENTS of Month Eight:

February 26 - Michael CRAWLED!! Backwards, but he CRAWLED!!!

March 4 - Michael WAVED!!!

March 8 - Michael CLAPPED!!! (I mean really clapped... again & again & again)

March 9 - Michael can get from a sitting position to on all four's!!!



March 10 - Michael is entering the Iron Man competition for push-ups!!!



I forgot how great this age is. He is finally making that transformation from being just a dust collector to a REAL LIVE PERSON. And I really, really, REALLY like him.

If you care to see some more photos, click HERE.
If you care to see those same photos in the fancy, they-look-better-this-way-slideshow, click HERE.

Michael is Seven Months Old!

Okay, quick recap of Michael's 6th month of life.

Month Six has also been known as the month of food. Real Food.

Also known as the month where I recap everything he ate here on the blog because I STILL DON'T HAVE A BABYBOOK. And I can't belive that nobody has taken the hint & bought one for the poor guy. But that's an aside..

Carrots. Day 1 - hated them. I bought the Dominion store brand kind. Should have known better. By Day 8, I had bought the Heinz and now they are his absolute favourite.

Peas. Liked them. Or at least found them interesting.

Butternut Squash - LOVES it.

Sweet Potatoes - LOVES them. Really now, can you blame him?! I sooo don't get people that don't love sweet potatoes. Like candy, but in a potato.

Green Beans. Initially found them absolultely replusive. Now he tolerates them.

Applesauce. Nope. He'll pass, thankyouverymuch.

Pears. Nope again. Hmph. Perhaps he isn't my kid after all.

Peaches. Finally! Found a winner in the fruit department!

Creamed Corn. Day 1 - DISGUSTED. We haven't dared to try them again.

Avacado - Interesting... may be better with chips.

And now that he is getting solid food on a very regular basis, he has decided it's high time he start feeding himself. Initially I said absolultely NOT. Give the kid a spoon and he'll likely poke out an eye. But then I remembered that he is the second child. And we all know about the second child... So then I gave him the spoon. And wished him luck. (Amazingly enough my little hehfer got it right in his mouth, first shot. And then all over his hands, his cheeks, his feet...) Now feeding times have turned into tug-of-wars over the damn spoon. Chubbs is a strong one.

This blanket was a stock item in some old person's closet who lived in my deceased grandfather's condo. I was pregnant with Emma during the shiva, so she gave it to me. I don't know her, and it was a very nice gesture. I think may have even been the very first gift I received for Emma. Unfortunately I think it's really ugly. I had planned to regift it to someone I didn't much care for. Emma, however, found it in her closet one day and loves it. Now Michael loves it too. If only it weren't such a pukey colour...







He loves eating the letters off this alphabet mat:



The daytime food has completely weaned him off the daytime boob. Seriously. He can go from 7:00 am straight through till about 6:00 pm with no boob. Then come 6:30 pm he eats every two hours. Yes. I said EVERY TWO HOURS. And every hour between those two hours I am his personal human pacifier. It's not good.



He has started holding out his arms when he wants to be picked up. Tee hee... cuteness. But before you bother asking, no he's not walking, talking, or even crawling yet. And no, he still hasn't cut any teeth.

During tummy time, he just kind of lies on the floor flapping his limps wildly. Not unlike a dying fish. A beached whale, perhaps.

Mean Mommy Alissa. Just plain MEAN.
I'll have to remember to delete that line before I ever let him read this.

Did I mention that he weighed in at 18.5 lbs this month? So he's still in the 75% percentile for weight, and the 50% for height. A little chunky, but nothing the doctor is concerned about.

Just like every man I've ever met, he loves his remote control.







He seems to prefer plastic over paper. Clearly not a green kid.

Hasn't discovered the love of the tag yet. I don't remember how old Emma was when she was all about tags... hey! I just thougt of something... Emma - she is my kid in so many ways - maybe it was never about the tags, at all. Maybe, likely, she was just checking out the label.

He is also one of the happiest babies I've ever known. Seriously. A pleasure to be around. And I not just saying that cuz I kinda sorta have to.





Gives the BEST, the ABSOLUTE BEST Koala Bear hugs I've EVER experienced. And he grabs my face with both hands and gives the wettest, messiest kisses I've had since 8th grade. But it's no longer like he's trying to actually EAT my face. Now they're like real honest kisses..

His favourite toy right now? Of course, not one of his own. He is totally into Emma's Pottery Barn blocks. Sure, he's clooned himself in the head on more than one occassion, but hey... he likes them.















And tonight, the night I've been waiting for... Simon, Randy & Paula were deciding on the final 24 Idols. At 9:00 pm SHARP. Michael fell asleep at 8:50. Giving me just enough time to pee, grab a drink, and make some popcorn. Totally selfless.

And that, my dear readers, is just one of the many reasons I love him so.

Seriously.

Is it really so bad to secretly wish he never gets hair cuz right now his little head is just so perfect?







I'm so not ready for him to grow up.
Not even 7 months old & I miss him already.