Playing the Game

Motherhood would be a great inspiration for a board game.  Think of the possibilities. . . . . .

For every nap that lasts longer than 30 minutes: 1 victory point - move ahead one space.  

For every spit up: 1 strike - move back one space.  

Crying baby in a crowded restaurant: lose a turn.  

Baby smiles through a doctor's appointment, take another turn.  

Experience one of those major blowouts that requires both Mom and baby to have a full clothing change....mind as well start the game over from the beginning.  

Well, in my real life board game, my son had been taking no more than an ounce from a bottle and would declare his distaste of the situation through the whole experience.  But today, for the 4th day in a row, he took the bottle and sucked it dry without a moment of fussing!  Victory point for Mom!!  Amazing how something so small, so insignificant, can have me doing a victory dance in the kitchen and ready to shout my success out the window.  AND, he has been consistently letting us put him down, awake, for naps, without fussing and even did this at a friend's house!  I think that deserves a Pass Go, Collect $200, bonus spin, and a couple victory points on top!  (Which will come in handy when I get dealt "poop down the leg and up the back" and "dropped the pacifier on the grocery store floor" cards and need a few points!)

Motherhood sure does give one a whole new perspective on things. :)

Speaking of new perspective, here is Ben discovering a new friend who looks vaguely familiar:

And here are some more pictures, just for the simple fact that they are too cute not to share!  Hope you enjoy this adorable little face as much as I do (if that is even possible!) :)

"Falling" In Love

I love Fall.  Fall brings crisp air that hints at the holidays, changing colors on the trees, my birthday, scarves and boots and gloves, and Pumpkin Spice lattes at Starbucks.  This year I actually did a little dance when I walked into Starbucks and saw the sign that said "The Happy Return of Pumpkin Spice"-it is happy indeed!  When September ends and October beckons, I lug out my bins of decorations and I get to spend an afternoon smelling spicy candles and placing pumpkins and leaves around my house.  Pumpkins are such happy lumpy characters of fall.  This year I have a new punkin whom I have "fall"-en in love with, and he is quite a character!

When he isn't dressed as a plush cuddly pumpkin, he amazes us with how fast he changes and grows.  He just found his hands and loves to slobber and snack on them, he makes spit bubbles, and he loves to try and sit up.....especially in his new Bumbo seat!

Ooooohh!  What are those things?!

So here's to happy pumpkin days, pumpkin lattes and Happy Fall!

John carving our pumpkin at our friends' 3rd annual pumpkin party

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

The villain is dark and shifty, hiding in small places, evading capture, wreaking havoc wherever he lurks.  He can cause adults to question their sanity.  Nighttime is his playground, turning peaceful quiet into chaos and crying.  In his hands, small happy children morph into wailing, unsoothable masses of tears and pain.  Who is this nefarious monster? . . . . . It's Gas Vader, the invader of abdomens, the snatcher of peace, the fear of all moms and the nightmare of all infants!

We had another episode of the body snatchers last night, starring our darling 10 week old and the nasty monster of gas.  Eating and sleeping became a battle at 1:00am, 3:00am, 4:00am, 5:00am, 6:30am, then at random intervals throughout the day.  It is amazing how something as simple as air, when placed in the wrong place and in the wrong amounts, can become a gnarly nightmare in a tiny little person's gut.  Needless to say, Mommy is a little tired today, and Ben has been sleeping extra, though still having problems when he eats.  I think it is safe to say that I won't be repeating the menu from last night, which included bok choy - now on my black list of vegetables.  So today Ben is getting gripe water around the clock, and lots of burping and positional changes whenever possible.  We thought we had evaded the monster after the first month or so of his life, but it is back with its crafty ways.  In the words of Timon, from Lion King, "Everything is gas with you!"

Between fighting gas, and dealing with Ben's frustration over having to work harder to eat since my milk supply has settled down, it has been a little rough in our house this last week.  Thank goodness for best friends who understand rescheduling, husbands who hug you when you are weepy, and moms who come to the rescue when you want to throw in the flag.  It could be so many other problems and I am so grateful that we have it this easy, but it is challenging all the same.  

After some rocky moments the other day, I felt the need to "make up" with my little boy, so after we had some kitchen time (him in his bouncy chair watching me while I cook and sing to him) I picked him up, held him close and we danced.  Around and around the kitchen we two-stepped and waltzed, his little hand in mine, his head on my shoulder, as the music played on the radio.  I caught a glimpse of him smiling as we swayed back and forth and I realized that this would be one of those moments that I will treasure for a long time.

 

 

This little lion has won the "Most Favorite Toy" Award.  No matter how many times we show it to him, he grins and coos and talks to it like it is his best friend.  John and I are starting to get jealous of the toy and all the attention he gets!

Ben has a conversation with Mr. Lion...