"Growth Spurt Growth Spurt, Very Hungryyyy, Clap Clap Clap, Poop and Pee"

Last night, you were h-u-n-g-r-y! You are not a hungry guy normally. I think you're going through a growth spurt. You were definitely letting me know that I was late with your dinner. I had already thawed an extra veggie because I've noticed these past couple days that you've been more eager to eat. So, I gave you some pieces of rice cake while I got the rest of your dinner ready. You ate 3 large veggie cubes (cauliflower, peas, squash), 1 fruit cube (guava and pear) mixed with 2 tablespoons of rice cereal, and an arrowroot for dessert. You still kept opening your mouth when I'd sign and say 'more?'. I didn't have anything else thawed, so I cracked open a jar of carrots/peas. YOU ATE THE WHOLE THING! You followed this with wanting an extra 2 ounces of formula! Crazy!
Now, about the formula and thus, the evening.
When we went to the grocery store this past weekend, they were out of your formula (Enfamil A+ DHA/ARA for 6+months). Rather than just wait or get the regular Enfamil A+ DHA/ARA, we decided to give the 6+months version of your old formula a try (President's Choice, like a knock off of Enfamil). It is $10.00 cheaper for the same amount, so it was worth a try.
Now the reason we stopped using it before, is we realised it had much to do with why you were spitting up, and possibly night waking long ago. We thought we'd still try this anyhow, since you're older, and it's the 6+ month one, so it's slightly different.
I didn't want to switch cold turkey, so I mixed half and half (old and new). Well, all three of those first bottles resulted in a bit of spit up. It wasn't too bad, but nonetheless. I thought, well, I'll just finish up the jug, and then I'll stop using it.
Remember how I said, you ate all that food and had the extra 2 ounces?
Well, I put you to bed, and you were only fussing a bit. You started to cry and sounded a bit muffled. I headed in to to pu/pd and flip you onto your back. Well, when I turned you over, you were covered in puke!!! Ewwwww! It was on your head, your face, your sleeves. Oh you poor guy! Daddy and I have decided that no matter how cheap it is, we're not buying it anymore!
I cleaned you up, and you went to sleep pretty quickly.

PU/PD
Well, you've been going down pretty well without your paci for your morning nap and bedtime, but that afternoon nap was killer yesterday. It took an hour! You've only been napping for 30 minutes in the morning (even with W2S) and only an hour in the afternoon! You usually sleep a total of 3 hrs. I'm chalking this up to 'change', and hope you'll go back to normal soon.
Today, you went down well for your morning nap and stayed down for 1.5 hours! Yay, I have my boy back! But then the afternoon nap was a rough time because we stayed out late at Starbucks with Auntie Jen. Sorry! However, you slept for another 1.5 hours! That's my boy!

YOU CAN CLAP NOW!!!

TODAY YOU PEED AND POOPED ON THE POTTY! AND PEED AGAIN AFTER YOUR MORNING NAP! AND PEED AGAIN AFTER YOUR AFTERNOON NAP! AND PEED AGAIN AFTER YOUR LATE AFTERNOON DRINK! AND PEED AGAIN AFTER YOUR BEDTIME BOTTLE! YAY!

YOU ALSO PEED IN THE BATHTUB.... BOO!

YOU'RE CRAZY AWESOME! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!

"Last Tooth, Tuna, Pull My Hair, Pick Up / Put Down, No Daycare, The Vacuum and The Hand Blender"

Your fourth top tooth came in yesterday! You didn't put up much of a fuss this time.

You tried tuna yesterday! You love it!

You've really started to take an interest in my hair. You like to pull my hair. You have a knack for pulling those back ones really hard! Ouch! My istinctual reaction is to attack or throw...... but I restrain myself of course! You little bum! It's weird what pain does. I've got to remember you're in my arms, and you're a baby wanting to play, not a vicious monster out to cause pain!

So we've been trying to wean the paci by doing the Baby Whisperer technique called pu/pd. It's been a lot of crying and rough times for these past 3 days, but it's gotten better and better. Last night you went to sleep with almost no fuss, and for this morning's nap, you went down within 15 minutes with only one intervention from me! Amazing. I think we're almost done! I am so proud of you! You are so strong!

Well, we couldn't make it for our second attempt at a daycare-trial-run! We woke up on time (Mommy at 5:30am, Daddy at 6:15am). We were ready on time at 7:00am. We headed out to the car only 5 minutes late, and.....

I couldn't open the back doors to get you in the car. Daddy tried to warm up the car to no avail. Then we heard the traffic reports and decided it wasn't worth the risk.

The vacuum - You are mesmerised by the vacuum. If you can't see me when I'm vacuuming, you cry.

The Hand Blender - What really upsets you is the hand blender for my shakes. You just scream in shear terror!

"Let it Snow, Soo-Soo Go"

Well, you are encountering your first snowfall. It began yesterday. It's BIG! There's about 9 inches on the parked cars. We bundled you in your snow gear, and took you to Mill Lake Park for some pictures on the swings.

You are having a rough time at getting to sleep yesterday and today, and probably tomorrow. I am trying desperately to wean your paci. It is definitely a 'prop' as opposed to a comfort. You can't fall asleep without it (unless you're in the car), and if you wake during a nap, you find it hard to settle. So, I've started "Pick Up / Put Down" from the Baby Whisperer to wean it. It's been horrible for a whole day, but it got better this evening.

You went to sleep without your pacifier for your afternoon nap, and your bedtime.

Good Job my little special-bum-cheeky-monkey! You poor thing! It will all be over soon!

"Raisin Recount, Go Go Guava, Blissful Brussels Sprouts, and Fantastic Figs, Crazy Carnivor, Crawling"

Okay, so the other day I said you tried raisins. I actually don't know if you grabbed the raisins off of Jack's tray or not. I'll give you raisins soon.

Today you tried guava, steak, and figs. Oops, that's a lot at once! You loved all of it. The guava was a beautiful combo with pears. The steak... you just kept eating it and eating it and eating it and eating it. You are definitely your daddy's son! The figs, I but in half and turned inside out for you to eat. You looked like you were eating candy!

About 3 or 4 days ago, I forgot to write that you tried brussels sprouts. You loved those too. I just cut up the whole head and you gobbled it up! You've been really into your meals lately!

Here's the BIG NEWS!

YOU CRAWLED TODAY WHEN GRANDMA, GRANDPA, AUNTIE KIM, UNCLE PAUL AND KIRSTIE WERE WATCHING YOU!

When Mommy and Daddy came home you showed us too. You just moved your knees a few times, but it was a proper crawl.

What a big boy! You've peed on the potty 3 times now! One time was at Auntie Erica's on the fold up potty!

"Climb to Kneel, Big Boy Bath, Pee Pee Potty, Rabble Rabble Babble Babble, Raisins, Mommy's Birthday"

It was Mommy's birthday yesterday and you've been out non-stop with Mommy (me) for two whole days. You played with your toys this evening as though you had never seen them before and they were a brand new gift! For Mommy's birthday, you went for a breakfast at Jill's on the 21st. You were a very good boy and had fun playing with the girls. You didn't want to go down for your nap, but eventually you did. You poor thing, you were sooooo tired. On the 22nd, you went to lunch with Grampa and Mommy at Milestone's. You were excellently behaved. They pretty much sectioned off a little carpetted play area for you! It was great! You also went for lunch with Auntie Erica and Mommy. You were well behaved there too. You tried a couple of Jack's raisins!

A couple of days ago, you were at your play table, and you used it to pull yourself up to kneeling so you could play!

When Daddy had to work late yesterday, you had a big boy bath in the big tub only. You had a blast!

Mommy bought your potty, and your travel potty today so she could start this "Elimination Communication/Early Start Potty Training" thing with you. You pee peed on the potty the very first time tonight! It was very exciting!

For the past couple of days, your new favourite words have been "Rabble Rabble Babble Babble" like the Hamburgler.

Well, I think that's everything to catch up on. Thanks for giving Mommy a great birthday!

"Cucumber, Cottage Cheese, Guava?, Celery, More Teeth, Teeth Grinding, Funny Naptime, Fuzzy Books, No Kiwi!"

In the past 6 days, you've been busy.

You tried cucumber and you thought it was okay.

You tried cottage cheese and LOVED it. You love it as a finger food and stirred with fruit!

You were supposed to try guava, but there wasn't any in the store.

Today you'll try celery.

On the 15th, you got your other top tooth.

Your right lateral incisor (top right off centre) is just about through. I'll be glad when all of them are through and you can go back to regular sleeping.

When your two top teeth were through you were grinding your teeth at the bedtime bottle. Ewwwww!

As you are on the verge of your crawling milestone, your naps went haywire yesterday and a bit of the day before. Instead of going right to sleep at naptimes and quick to sleep at bedtime, you roll over onto all fours and decide that's a good time to practice crawling. When I come in the room, you start laughing hysterically. YOU GOOF!

You are loving your feely books right now. You go right for the bumpy, fuzzy, rough parts and scratch your fingers on it just like I showed you! So clever! So aware of texture...LOL!

Well, evidently I shouldn't have snuck kiwi into the food introduction. It's highly allergenic and you got a big rash. We'll save that for 1 year old with strawberries! Did you know that 1/3 of the population is allergic to kiwi? News to me!

Oops!

"Tooth Cuttin, Feet Clappin, Crawl to Sittin', Light Switchin, Hand Movin, Hand Clappin Fun"

Okay, so lots has been going on.

It appears that finally after all this pain and some night wakings because of 4 top teeth trying to push their way through, that you have finally cut one of them! Top, middle, left! Yay! One tooth, three more to go, for now!

You like to take my hands and clap them together. You love the sound of clapping.

You love the sound of clapping so much that you love to clap your feet together to make a clapping noise while you're sitting up.

You are sooooo close to crawling. You can commando crawl backwards and have for quite a while, but it was nothing to report because it frustrates you to not be going the direction you'd like to go. For quite a while now, you've liked to lunge forward from sitting so that it looks like you're about to crawl. You eventually would get into a crawl position after kicking out the last leg, and then, nothing. You started doing this more and more, just eventually putting your face down and pushing your legs out, so you're laying on your tummy. For the past few days, you've been doing this lunge non-stop and hang out in the crawl position for a while. Now, you've started moving your hands forward, but can't seem to figure out to bring your legs forward too.

Last night, you finally went from crawl position to sitting!

For the past week, I've been pushing your hand against our light switch to show you how to turn it on and off for your naps to start and end. It's part of our "goodnight radio, goodnight lamp, goodnight aquarium, goodnight mobile, goodnight big light"......... WELL TODAY YOU TURNED OFF THE LIGHT YOURSELF!!! YAY!

"Talking?, On Your Hands and Knees, On and Off, Up Every Hour"

Well, yesterday, after one of your naps, I came in to get you and you were up on your hands and knees with one foot stuck out the crib slats. Does this mean your going to crawl soon? We'll see!

When we go into your room, I get you to turn on the light. Either you coincidentally push it, or you put your hand there and I push. I say, "ON!". When we leave your room, I get you to turn off the light, and the same thing goes on, but with me saying, "OFF!" Well, today, we turned the light OFF and I said, "Yaaaaaaaayyyyy!", and right away you said, "Yaaaaaaaa". It was pretty cool!

Last night and the night before you were up lots. Last night it was almost every hour. I'm very lucky that I can just pop in the pacifier and you go right back to sleep, but...

I can't figure out if you are waking because of teething pain or to look for your paci which I haven't been removing lately. I weaned it long ago, but it seemed to be comforting you during teething pain. Hmmmmm. I've pulled out yor paci for this morning's nap and I'll try to be diligent for the rest of the day! I think I should've just swaddled you last night. You probably would've stayed asleep.

"Butter, Bitter, Teething, Fever, 8 Months Old"

Well, I thought you were getting 'fangs', but it appears as though you are obtaining all four top teeth. Crikies!

I wish they would just come in already. You've been so moody. Back on Tuesday night you had a fever, just a small one, and you threw up you entire dinner, and maybe lunch and breakfast too. Yuck!

We skipped swimming and went grocery shopping instead to 'cool you down'.

You were up lots last night. I was thinking you've had some weird sleeps because you were waking to look for your paci with which I accidentally let you sleep a couple of times. But alas no, I think it's just the teething. I think you're waking in pain.

You put yourself back to sleep or you go right back to sleep once I pop in your paci, but I sure don't like you sleeping with it. However, if it helps ease the pain, then whatever you need.

My poor little cheeky monkey.

Today you received your birthday invitation for Jack's first birthday. I'm very excited to take you to see the animals.

Yesterday we visited Shannon and you got to play with her little son, Brady.

You did something new that I was going to write about last night, but I forgot, so, hmmmm, hopefully I'll remember soon.

You tried butter on November 6th, and you tried kiwi yesterday, November 8th. You didn't seem to notice the butter, and you're trying the kiwi, but you seem to find it bitter.

YOU ARE 8 MONTHS OLD NOW! I can't believe it. I go back to work in about 5 or so weeks, and I'm leaving you at daycare twice a week! I can't believe it. I can't believe that 8 months have gone by, and for that matter, that Jack is turning 1 ! This is just unbelievable. Unbelievable.

"Are You Trying to Talk to Us?"

Well I'm really beginning to think that you are saying 'Dada' for real, and maybe even 'Mama' too. In the morning, you'll yell 'dada' and Daddy will come to see you. When he leaves again, you right away yell, "Dada". Yesterday you kept looking at me and saying, "Mama". Could you know what you're saying? I don't know. I just don't know.

Right now I'm watching you try to climb into the bottom area of your exersaucer. You're squirming around and commando crawling a bit, but backwards.

"Cantaloupe, Grampa, and Butter"

You tried cantaloupe on Friday, and tomorrow you try butter! Mmmmmmm!

Today you got to visit Grampa-Dan at The Keg on Granville Island! You had a good visit! Grampa fed you your bottle and you gave him lots of smiles!

"Bang Bang Bang, Clang Clang Clang"

Well, for quite some time now (probably over the past three to four weeks), you've enjoyed making a racket. You've been enjoying banging your hands down on tables to make noise, on my hands to make a clapping noise, and on your high chair tray to make even more noise (and an incredible mess).

I've been noticing, recently, how much you enjoying banging things together which I think is pretty impressive. You love to bang your blocks together. At music, you were banging the shaker eggs together.

Today was VERY impressive. Today you took your two drumsticks and managed to hit them together for a quite a sound a few times! Good Job Cheeky Monkey!

By the way, at music, last class, you loved playing with this vibrating ball with rubber knobbies on it. It was hilarious to watch. I think I'm going to get you one (from PetSmart, hee hee).

I've been starting to make your Christmas list. I'm going nuts trying to decide what I'd like to get you. I'd really like to get you the Fisher Price Learning Home, Playskool's Dapper Dan, and a V-Smile baby video game system the most, but my list goes on and on! I'm so excited. I'd better start shopping now!

Yesterday we went to Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Kim and Uncle Paul's house for dinner. You had lots of fun playing with everyone and showing off your 'butt scoot'.

Today I read this "Are You Ready to Have Children?" quiz...

MESS TEST: Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.

TOY TEST: Obtain a 55-gallon box of LEGO (or you may substitute roofing tacks). Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream because this would wake a child at night.

GROCERY STORE TEST: Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.

DRESSING TEST: Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all the arms stay inside.

FEEDING TEST: Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal into the mouth of the jug, while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.

NIGHT TEST: Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8-12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 3:00 pm, begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 pm. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 pm. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing these too until 4:00 am. Set alarm for 5:00 am. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.

INGENUITY TEST: Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and pot of paint, turn it into an alligator. Now take a toilet paper tube and turn it into an attractive Christmas candle. Use only scotch tape and a piece of foil. Last, take a milk carton, a Ping-Pong ball, and an empty box of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.

PHYSICAL TEST (Women): Obtain a large bean bag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now remove 10 of the beans.

PHYSICAL TEST (Men): Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask t he clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.

FINAL ASSIGNMENT: Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run wild. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.

via Memorable Moments from Masterworks and Daneille Grimes

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! I'm a little scared!

"Trick or Treat, I Won't Eat Meat"

So, there's a few things to mention.

I forgot to mention a while back that you have been mouthing songs. What I mean by that is that when there is a song on with which you and I are familiar, you try to mouth the words while I'm singing. It's really cute. I think I started realising that you were doing that around two or three weeks ago and kept forgetting to write it down.

On the 31st, you went out trick or treating with Tarrie, Christine, Adam, Matt, Jen, Erin, Lauren, Daddy, and I. You fell asleep at 7:00pm in your stroller. The Joniecs gave you a cute little Beanie Baby ghost holding a pumpkin.

You've been imitating lots of sounds for the past while. If I say dada, you'll say dada. If I say Jack, you say ja (sometimes). If I say ma ma ma, you say ma ma ma. This of course isn't EVERY time, but often, especially if you start it.

You seem to be refusing to eat chicken in its pureed form. I had to give you some tofu quickly today at lunch because you refused to eat your chicken and veggies. ARGGG!

On the 1st of November, you started your Sign and Sing class. You had a blast! You loved the jiggly ball from PetSmart and all the songs! Tomorrow we have Zoom Buggy.

At Sign and Sing, you were scooting. It seems to be your mode of transportation. You sit down, move your feet forward, then scoot up your bum to meet your feet. It looks like you are bouncing around. It's pretty hilarious.

You tried squash today. You're trying herbs too, but I don't know what to try. We've tried dill, parsley, and basil. Are those good? I don't know!