Friday, May 4, 2012
We took our son to the Chesterfield library last week. Needless to say, he loved it.
Last weekend, we took Micah to the Samuel C. Sachs Branch of the St. Louis County Library in Chesterfield. The children's section is closed off from other portions of the library, so it's quiet. Alternatively, the kids can be noisy without fear of interfering. Julie brought Micah here and put him on the floor next to a towering case of board books. Nearby, two boys several years his senior talked and looked at books. Our son found them fascinating. He watched them, and they pointed out to their adult supervisor the fact that they had spotted a baby. Then Micah spent time looking through books and pulling them off the shelves. Entertainment on so many levels.
Friday, April 13, 2012
My wife and I are experiencing the joy of bringing comfort to an ailing youngster. Want to baby-sit?
At the risk of inviting an ugly virus, I can safely confirm that having a sick child is worse than being sick personally. Poor Micah came down with some sort of cold Wednesday—fever, runny nose, cough. Irritability. That of course means he doesn't sleep well. So he has abruptly awoken from naps in the past few days and wakes up screaming at night. Translation? Welcome to the world of co-sleeping! As I've said in the past, I'm not an advocate for this sort of thing. Everything I've heard or read indicates it is a risky practice because of suffocation hazards. But when you find yourself running on fractured sleep and a thousand scattered thoughts, it seems like a pretty good option. My wife and I also don't want him to get into the habit of …
Friday, April 6, 2012
Our son is quickly learning to endure the pain that inevitably results with increased mobility.
Our nearly 10-month-old son is quickly learning that with greater mobility comes greater resiliency. Micah still can't crawl forward, but he's certainly curious about everything within an arm's—or fall's—reach. That includes computer cords, dust bunnies and cabinet doors. It comes at a price. This week, he smashed a finger while shutting the cabinet beneath the television. My wife tells me it took a couple of silent minutes for reality to set in. Screaming followed. He also bonks his head on a semi-regular basis after falling backward (loss of balance) or forward (grabbing for something on the floor). This does not produce too much sadness, provided Mommy or Daddy is close at hand to distract him with conversation or a toy. This week also …
Friday, March 16, 2012
Micah is eating up these warm March days on neighborhood stroller treks.
Micah is sleeping better than he has in months, and we suspect one factor is the fresh air he's been getting. He's gone on numerous walks in his stroller this week, some with the whole family (Tobi the dog included!) and others with my wife. Children at play are of particular interest to him as are animals, moving vehicles and unfamiliar noises. He also enjoys assuming the role of go-cart: The pup's skittishness as the stroller approaches from behind is a subject of enormous hilarity to this 9-month-old. The light blue sunhat intended to keep the sun off his skin and out of his eyes has been mildly useless because of the wind. No matter to Micah: He soaks in the surroundings even as ultraviolet rays pummel his sweet face and wisps of …
Friday, February 3, 2012
Our St. Louis son is again reminding us that sleep is a commodity.
Micah is cutting teeth again, this time along his upper gums. There. I said it. Let the horror sink in. That guilty, I'm-not-the-parent-qualified-to-soothe-my-shrieking-infant horror. Julie and I aren't sure whether to be thankful or dismayed that only one tooth appears to be coming in. Generally they come in pairs, parents.com reports. My hope is that we'll wake up one morning, enter his room and find him smiling with a mouth full of pearly whites. My fear is that he'll cut them one by one until, frayed for lack of sleep, his parents tape their eyelids open and guzzle coffee by the gallon. But he's still a great baby, and we love our son. Just don't ask me to defend his actions this early in the morning.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Our son gained weight, requiring a new seating arrangement. So much for New Year's resolutions.
Micah transitioned to his big-boy car seat on Sunday. Installation proved straightforward thanks to my wife, who can read and understand instruction manuals. As opposed to me. I find them confusing and stress-inducing. Beforehand, we transferred our son from his old seat (good for those 22 pounds and under) to his new one (up to 65!) in order to adjust the straps. He did not enjoy this. Not at all. He fussed and pouted in a moment of pre-road rage. The fuzzy blue coat with bear ears (thank you, Erin Nelson) didn't help his cause. The new seat is bigger and bolder than the old one. It's black and gray as opposed to brown and plaid. It takes up more space in the backseat, making it pretty much impossible for anyone over, well, 65 pounds to …
Friday, January 13, 2012
We don't let our 7-month-old watch a lot of television, but when we do, he has his favorites.
We don't let Micah watch television for extended periods of time. But in the short bursts of technological glory that he has experienced, we've discovered a few favorites. To my wife's dismay, he seems to enjoy Barney & Friends. It's probably related to a combination of bright colors (think dancing purple dinosaur and his friends), music, funny high-pitched voices and children. Our son loves to watch other youngsters. Another of his favorites is the 1980s-rrific Full House, which in its early stage featured the infant versions of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Julie tells me he laughs uproariously at those two. Of course, the "Elmo's World" segments on Sesame Street also are a hit. Who doesn't smile at that furry red monster? My wife has …
Friday, January 6, 2012
My wife and I can hardly believe our son is growing up so quickly.
While my wife and I are trying hard to deny it, the calendar tells us that our son will turn 7 months on Tuesday. Micah has experienced a lot in a short time here. Here, in no particular order, are some memorable numbers for this stage of his life: 8 — minimum number of foods our son has eaten so far (they are pears, carrots, avocados, applesauce, rice cereal, whole grain cereal, sweet potatoes, bananas—and no, this figure does not include illicit eats that family members have snuck to him) 90 minutes — rough length of the two daily naps he takes 39 miles — approximate distance his maternal grandparents must travel in the event of what Julie and I call a baby meltdown 3 minutes — duration of patience for lying still on his stomach, limbs …
Friday, December 16, 2011
This December, we're getting together for something of a family reunion in Colorado.
Micah will soon get to meet his uncles—my brothers—for the first time. It will be a welcome homecoming. As I've probably mentioned previously, I grew up in Colorado. Mom and Dad are still there, as is my sister. Meanwhile, my brother Chad works in Arizona, and my other brother, Adam, is at college in Nebraska. So getting together as a collective is a really big deal, and it doesn't happen often. Julie and I have never taken our son on a plane ride, so we're hopeful his ears remain unscathed as we climb in altitude. We're also hopeful he will be respectful of those around us. The same goes for the way those seated nearby act toward us. Either way, we're looking forward to a week of vacation, family time, good memories and food, and laughter…
Friday, December 9, 2011
My son has a knack for outperforming me.
My 6-month-old son has better posture than I do. Just plant him at the foot of a modest-size pillow. He'll gaze around the room, watch the antics of our dog or cat and pound his rattling toys on the ground with fervor. All while sitting up straight. I pointed this out to my wife the other day, and she laughed. She neither confirmed nor denied the observation. Of course, secretly Julie was thinking: You know, he's right. One fewer back surgery down the road, I suppose. It's one of the many things I know Micah does better than me. I'm OK with that because it means he's naturally gifted, or I've taught him something smart, or both. Probably the first option. Among Micah's other talents at this age: Continued ability to eat solid food after …
Nate Birt
10:48 am on Friday, December 9, 2011
Thank you, Holly! more ›