May 2006
April was fine; May was quite exciting. A new pediatrician, new food, new toes....
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May 4 - First Feeding May 3, we went to a different pediatrician. Alex weighed 15 lbs, 2 1/2 oz, and measured some 26 inches long. This pediatrician says Alex is doing fine without formula supplements - and said I could go ahead and give him rice cereal. Yippie! I'm not sure why I was so excited about this, but I was. It makes all the difference when the pediatrician says you're doing a fine job, and tells you things you want to hear. Anyways, so we went home, and I prepared for the rice cereal adventure. Travis videotaped it (for future blackmailing / embarrassing in front of girlfriends). I fed the bib. I have to say that it was as much a result of my actions as Alex's that resulted in the food not staying in his mouth - I didn't have the feel of where to put the food in, and how to get it off the spoon and in his mouth. |
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May 9 Every morning, after Alex rests after his 8am feeding and watching Papa get ready for work, he gets put in his high chair, which is wheeled to supervise my breakfast efforts in the kitchen. Once my breakfast is ready, he is wheeled to the table, where he watches and I eat. Assorted toys are on his chair to keep him entertained. This morning, Caira decided to find out what he found so enthralling. (Caira, by the way, is not allowed on the dining room table. Grandma Barbara can attest to my vehemence when I scold her (Caira) "Papa doesn't want you on the table!" and "You better not let Papa see you on the table!" and "You better be off before Papa finds you there!") They found each other quite distracting this morning. May 11 Caira and Alex, sleeping on my bed. Occassionally, I am lucky enough that Alex can be set down for a few minutes on my bed so I can have a moment to myself. Here he is, sling still around him, Boppy pillow ("Use only on floor" "Never allow baby to sleep in Boppy!") cushioning him. |
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May 14 - Mother's Day My mom, engrossed with feeding the baby. Like opening one's mouth when applying mascara, apparently feeding the baby is also better with an open mouth. Alex was delighted. We had a mother's day celebration at our house - my mom and Mikey, Autumn and Craig came over for a barbecue. Travis, to honor the special day, was very helpful in tidying up the house - probably more than he bargained for since I had finished painting the dining room that morning. |
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Here's Mikey holding the little goober, as he calls him. I think Alex is trying to figure out how to grab Mikey's chest hair. |
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May 20 Okay, so maybe there are a lot of cat pictures this month. The cat seems fascinated with Alex, perhaps almost as much as Alex is with Caira. We try to keep him from grabbing tufts of her hair, with marginal success. The cat never seems inclined to strike back at him, and even comes around to be admired. |
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May 22 With direction from him, Papa feeds the baby. Like many males, Alex feels that he knows the best way to be fed, and often tries holding the spoon, hand, glass, or tippy cup. |
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May 23 Caira hoped that she could usurp the baby by claiming his changing pad as a place for herself, but I just put Alex right on top of her. She is always remarkably gentle, and has shown amazing patience with the baby and his uncontrolled hands. She has gotten "squirted" while up there, but it hasn't daunted her. Much. |
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May 24 Grumpa feeding the baby. See, everyone gets to try. 25 cents gets you a ramekin with two teaspoons of rice cereal. It's like feeding the dolphins at Sea World, but less expensive and not so smelly. You still have to wash your hands afterward though. Rice cereal, when dried, is used in some places as a cement. |
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Here's
my mom holding Alex. Kathleen, Mikey's sister (Alex's "Great" Aunt),
had come over for supper with them, and all the excitement (and having
had Mikey feed him) was a little too much for him (Alex). Alex had to
spend some quiet time with Mommy in his sling. After a brief nap /
recovery period, Grandmama could hold the happy, recharged baby. |
