Baby Top 40

Miles usually does not watch T.V. it's on in the background and I'm watching the Olympics or surfing through the election pundits. There's only one thing he consistently stops to watch, agog with enjoyment, bouncing up and down no matter what he's doing. It's those Free Credit Report. com commercials. You know "they monitor your credit and send you email alerts, so you don't end up selling fish to tourists in tshirts". That one. More than Disney channel, more than anything educational on PBS or Discovery Channel. That's his favorite thing on T.V.

front teeth and talking

So 2 days ago our boy got his top right front tooth. My brother in law may know what this tooth is technically called but I call it Adventures in Biting. The Miles mouth is now a place you put a finger only if you have paid up your health insurance. Unfortunately in my Mommy Duties I do have a responsibility to go in there fairly often. His gums hurt and he's fussy so I have to rub some teething gel on there. I feel like I've been drafted to go into a battle where everyone knows heavy casualties are the expectation. He seems to smile knowingly when he sees the tube, like he's rubbing the tongue on them polishing them up for the attack. He aims for the cuticle. It's the most sensitive spot on the finger I guess.
Talking is pissing me off. I am the Ma Ma. I did EVERYTHING for 9 months then mostly everything for another 9 months. Why oh why then does he call my mom "Ga! Ga!" but me, I get coughed at. Yes, I said coughed at. Miles gives me this little "cough, cough" to get my attention when I am not looking at him. I guess he doesn't want to cry but can't talk yet. But it is humbling to be called by the infant as though my name is Jeeves the Butler. This has got to be remedied. I may start playing a loop tape of "Ma Ma Ma Ma" to him in his sleep till he starts saying it.

9 months

Dear Miles,
A few days ago you turned 9 months old. You are just good enough to eat. I love everything about you, and many other people do too. Your babysitter Sandra here in Trinidad comes to "borrow" you like a library book if she hasn't seen you in more than 3 days. Her whole family is in love with you and I'm taking pictures of them in case I have to call the authorities if you're missing. You LOVE her son Nicki here in the picture holding you. You just hang on to every move he makes when he's around. You want to walk like the big kids so bad, you stand up and barely hold on to things and inevitably fall and bust your butt when your feet get tangled. But after a little cry up and trying again you go. You can say car and dada. Every now and then you will repeat something clear as day.

You have your two bottom front teeth and you make the most of them. You are an eating champion. There has only been one food (gross Heinz chicken and vegetable puree) that you have refused. You eat the most bitter vegetables like carile and spinach and want more. We took you to Ruby Tuesdays a couple weeks ago and gave you a little bowl of pasta and when it was done you picked up the bowl and started licking it. Here you can see a picture of you eating a chicken leg like it's nobody's business but yours.

You are surprisingly strong. You grab 4 liter bottles of water and drag them around, you picked up the computer chair by holding on to it and refusing to let go when we tried to get you away from the computer. And you're tall too, you're already 30 inches.

You LOVE to bounce up and down.

You cut the cake with Amelia for her 2nd birthday party and then stuck your whole hand in her cake trying to grab what you could for yourself. It was quite a day for you, in the swimming pool with a bevy of 2 and 3 year olds, hanging out quite calmly while all the chaos swirled around. Having this time to spend with you every day is something I will never forget, it is truly worth the effort and self sacrifice to see you enjoying life and turning out to be so brave and calm.

Foreshadowing the future by Amelia Joseph, age 2

So last night Miles' cousin Amelia came to spend the night. Since posting pictures is an incredible pain in the ass I will instead draw you a verbal picture. Picture a 2-3 foot tall uninhibited skinny laughing, screeching, jewelry wearing, fingernail painted, wild jungle child who has recently been discovered living in a tribe of wolves and has been brought to civilization about a week ago. Basically your typical 2 year old. Favorite food - ketchup. Amount of food eaten, about one teaspoon at a time of anything. She seems to survive on air, like an orchid.
She got jealous of my parents giving him attention so she bit him. The look on his face now when he sees her is one of longing and confused fear. This morning you could tell he wanted so badly to be near her and giving her kisses but he was a little afraid that she might bite again.
She went to my dad, her "grandpapa" and matter of factly told him " I bite Milesy boy". She calls him Milesy boy like she is some old lady and he is a little child even though they are only a year and 3 months apart. She is so tiny, actually weighs the same as Miles and they wear the same size Pampers. I remember her a visit last year being Miles' age and being just like Miles, all smiles and effort to walk and sweet as morning sunlight. So I'm trying to enjoy my fat little roly poly ball of love right now as I know that just around the corner the "Terrible two's" await and life will be a non stop action movie.

First tooth and more

Today our boy went to the Emperor Valley Zoo here in Trinidad. He was more interested in watching people, especially anyone eating anything than in watching the animals. But he did like the parrots it seemed.
Yesterday he cut his second tooth. Last week on July 3 I noticed his first tooth working it's way out.
He is very sharing. He shares his pacifier with me all the time - I have to pretend to suck it when he puts it in my mouth. Today he was eating a cracker and thought I would like some so he offered me his wet mushy cracker and watched to make sure I ate it. He smiled, ate some more then offered me more after him. I was touched by his sharing and grossed out that I ate a slimy cracker covered in someone else's spit.

8 months old - 22 pounds of pleasure

Yesterday Miles turned 8 months old. For some reason that age just seems SO OLD to me. Though he is still an infant he's now a mobile infant. And that mobility makse such a difference. It's still not walking unassisted but he can really get accross a room now, whether holding on to furniture and "cruising" as they call it (I just picture babies at bars with cigarettes when I hear that) or belly wiggling accross the room or even actual crawling which he will sometimes engage in.

He's knows plenty of baby tricks to get his point accross without words.

Exhibit 1: Morning time circa sunrise. Infant Miles awakes delighted to be alive. Looks over at sleeping Mommy and determines that she has had enough sleep and should now wake up and entertain him with belly tickles, raspberries on belly, kisses and wrestling. So he approaches Sleeping Mommy with 2 pronged attack. First, pull hair, preferably the hair near the front, small bunch so it really hurts and alarms her to protect self from possible bald spot. Next close in with open mouth really sloppy, I mean to say extremely wet baby kisses that also go "mmmmmmmmmm". Aim for Sleeping Mommy's mouth but failing that suck on chin or nose. When sleeping mommy opens eyes very irritated at possible bald spot he gives a bright smile with twinkling eyes and roll back to engage me to chase him around the bed and play. Repeats as necessary until I give up and am awake and playing at 5:30 in the morning.

Exhibit 2: About an hour after waking it is bottle time. If he is hungry he will start whining when he sees the bottle but not full out crying. He watches me make the bottle and makes this little anticipatory whinging sound only bursting into full tears and crys when we sit on the couch and the bottle is 2 seconds from landing in his mouth. Why does he do that? I can only guess it is his way of cheering me on to get the bottle made then giving me some negative reinforcement by the relief from hearing the crying.

NOTE:
This post was a lot longer but I lost a lot of it when the internet went down and right now do not have the heart to try to recreate. Suffice it to say that Miles is doing many typical 8 month old baby things and is progressing to adulthood in, ahem, baby steps.

Happy Birthday Granny Annie

Dear Granny Annie,
Happy Birthday from Miles and Cindy. We hope you have many more happy and healthy birthdays to come. Miles is doing well and sends you a big sloppy wet kiss!