O Christmas Dah

[Just hypothetically, what kind of opportunities are available to a handsome young man who only says "DAH"? To be fair, he can say it in lots of different ways. South African sign language interpreter, clearly...but...really what if he never says anything else??]

10 month faves

Ergo Baby Carrier

(pic is link)

How many baby carriers does a body need? I don't know, but you need this one. I bought it in anticipation of our Florida trip last month, as C and I flew down on our own to meet the rest of the family. I tried to think through ways to make it easier for myself and decided to give this a try. I noticed when we flew to Nantucket this summer that most of the seasoned moms in the airport seemed to have this one, so I hopped on board. It was perfect for the trip and we've also used it since then around the neighborhood and such. Oh and also when he was sick and refused to be put down...just like the early days! We still have the Bjorn, but I think the Ergo distributes baby's weight differently, so it's more comfortable for me (and BA) now that C is bigger. It's also easier to get on and off and has some handy features (e.g., nap hood, storage pocket for phone and such). So, overall, on the carrier front I would say I definitely recommend a Moby (or other wrap) for the early days, a Bjorn is your call, and you've got to have an Ergo. You can also buy an infant insert for when they're itty bitty. One thing to know is that you can only wear it with baby facing in--or with some hip hold I haven't tried--but C doesn't seem to mind.

any ball will do

A 99-cent ball from Walgreens, the Costco nubby ball set (for lack of a better term?), the smaller ones that go with the Bright Starts Fire Truck ...

For learning to roll and throw and say "ball" (as long as it's pronounced "DAH"). 

Related fave...

This is a Loud Obnoxious Thing, so it lives at Doc & Jules's house. But, man...when you get to that phase where it's a huge thrill to put things in other things, this is your jam. He really understands "put the ball in," and then it's fun to drive the truck until the ball pops out. Again and again. 

Boon Foam Bath Shapes

Another (delayed) winner from the Citrus Lane box. They're just...foam bath shapes. They float or stick to the wall and are easy for him to hold. They don't absorb water so don't get gross and are easy to bring with us to ease the back-arching transition out of the tub to the getting-dressed portion of bedtime, which is not a fave. I've only brought them out one or two at a time, so they're still novel. I also enjoy BA's creative naming of all the bath time friends...we've got Mr. Crab, Mr. Shark, Mr. Fish...can't wait to see what's next.

Pediped infant shoes 

So I was told by his teachers that he needs shoes "because of the wood chips on the playground." I am still not exactly sure what this means, as he isn't walking, but I think it means that the wood chips get stuck to socks? Anyway, he needed shoes, but anything with a sole (e.g., his Uggs) is good for keeping him warm when he's strapped in to the stroller, but trips him up when he's on the move. All the People Who Know Things say that they're supposed to wear a flexible sole as much as possible, and I guess these are the go-to. The bottom is thick and grippy enough to be safe, but he can still maneuver easily in them. He has these little loafers ("dress Pedipeds"?) but they come in tons of adorable real-shoe-like styles. You can shoe a baby hipster, or a little athlete, or whatever strikes your fancy. I see more in our future. 

10 Months

These pics are terrible but I'm opting to just jam some in here and get on with it. 

AND I took them on the actual day he turned 10 months.

Will add more later!

Photo shoot cut short when I realized he was getting chalk all over his pants as we were due to be walking out the door to a Christmas party...

If the 9th month had a theme, it would most definitely be snot. As was expected, starting school meant a constant cold and runny nose. However, a few days after we returned from Florida, the cold worsened. It seemed to move down into your chest and caused a really cruddy cough. You also started running a fever that ranged from low grade to pretty high (it always seemed highest in the middle of the night, when it wasn't ideal to whip out the thermometer to get an exact read, so I don't know quite how high it went). We managed symptoms and waited it out until it was clear that something else was going on, and then off to the pediatrician we went. She diagnosed pneumonia (explaining the cough and worrisome breathing), and we started some good ol' Amox.

This stuff works. High fives to science and all those penicillin discoverers. We kicked the pneumonia, but then ended up with another garden-variety cold not long after. You have been such a trouper, but it is just a tough road.

On top of all this, there have been at least 2 but I think 4 teeth coming through up top, and they seemed to get right up to the point of breaking through and then hang out right there for a while. I'm sure that was not comfortable, and also has its own symptoms and disruptions.

All of that is a detailed and technical way of saying that you have been uncomfortable if not fully miserable for a large part of this month, and we'll be glad to get it behind us. It disrupts eating, sleeping, moods (everyones') and general life.

Likes:

• wooden spoon + spatula
• picking up tiny pieces of lint off the floor and eating them
• the Christmas tree (I say "tree," you say "DAH")
• throwing all the toys out of the pen

Dislikes:

• taking the medicine (even delicious Amoxicillin) (this did get somewhat better, though)
• going in the car seat
• nose wiping

Milestones:

• more plane rides and beach trip with grandparents!
• first antibiotics
• Baby's First Thanksgiving!

• imitates some actions
• signs "All Done!" (prompted)
• waves bye-bye

This was supposed to be a video of "all done," except he stopped doing it the second I started the camera. But watch it anyway.

Stats:

oh, who knows. Some pounds. Size 4 diapers. Generally 12-month clothing but the 9-month stuff still works (probably wouldn't buy any new ones though).

Internet Roundup

Today's post is brought to you by people who are smarter, funnier, and more organized than I am.

They've written what I've had in my head and have done it better than I could (especially the part about, you know, actually having done it), so I will just leave it at that.

A 10 Month Old's Letter to Santa : hilarious and could not be more accurate.

Most Loved Toys: Crawling - 2 Years : essentially the list I have been meaning to write (and it's nice to see a lot of what's on C's list show up here). This mommy is a year ahead of us so knows the real deal. Her little girl's birthday is in February, so her age last year lines up with C at Christmas and then has the birthday following just a month or so later. She has the benefit of actually having lived it, so it's superior to my List Of Things I Think Kids Probably Would Like Maybe.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

Santa jams?

Picking a tree? 

LIGHTS.

Cyber Monday

Shopping today?

Extra Amazon deals through this link. Enjoy!

9 Month Faves

Again, way late on this one, so am trying my best to remember what goes with which month.

cups

Really, any cups will do. He prefers a Which Wich takeout cup, the fishy cup from the whale bathtub, a top from a baby bottle, and anything an adult might drink out of. He does NOT prefer anything a baby is supposed to drink out of.

Given that none of these is a real toy and can't really be purchased individually, allow me to suggest these (pics are links):

 

Green Sprouts stacking cups

  

Fisher-Price Stack & Roll Cups

Nose Frida 

(a/k/a the snot sucker)

Ok. This looks so gross. I will fully admit I gagged the first time I used it. Yes, it's exactly what it looks like. You put the tube end in baby's nostril and suck the boogers out using the red mouthpiece. WAIT KEEP READING here is why it's not as gross and terrible as you are thinking:

• There is a filter between the nose-going part and the mouth-going part, so boogers can't get through. Also, you would have to have sucking power akin to things I'm not going to make jokes about here to even get CLOSE to the filter, so it's just not possible. It's not going to happen. I promise. 

You're not convinced yet. That's ok.

• It is more effective than the blue bulb syringe from the hospital. I'm not quite sure why, but it just gets good stuff. It's also oddly satisfying to see it come out don't look at me like that like you've never been satisfied by popping a zit or something shut up

• Most important--babies tolerate it much, much better than they do the bulb syringe. I think this is because it doesn't go nearly as far up the nostril--you can't accidentally insert it too far, either--so they get all the payoff without the discomfort. Seriously, Mr C will lie reasonably still and let me use this but screams and turns away when he even sees the blue bulb in my hand. Worth it right there when you're really wrangling the snot monster, I'll tell you that. 

• Tube part can go in the dishwasher so can get really clean whereas I'm never really sure about that bulb. Comes with many replacement filters. 

If you're still not convinced, fine. I'll continue giving them as baby shower gifts and converting people one by one. 

Safety 1st 360 Humidifier

Also from the sick baby category...I've had several humidifiers over the years, but this one is a success so far. Honestly, I just got the cheapest one that seemed adequate, since I always seem to end up throwing humidifiers out after cold season. I don't know if I'm just not good enough at cleaning them, or they really do get gross beyond repair, but...anyway. I wanted something that did the job but I didn't want to pay for extras. This is a great nursery/bedroom option if you're in the market. It's easy to fill (huge bonus) and lasts more than all night. Doesn't seem gross yet. I (and Mr. C) especially like the two nozzles so you can direct mist over a wider area. He likes when I turn it to mist him while he's on the changing table.

                                                   Innobaby EZ Grip Massaging Teether

Another winner from our Citrus Lane box (though it was a few months back, I think). We have the green one. You can't see them, but there are little beads in the center of the flower that rattle around. It's really soft and flexible, so I like that he's not going to bonk himself in the head with it. He just likes to chew on it. Not much more to be said...it's a hit. 

Little Chirpers Sorting Eggs

Fun stuff. These have a lot going on, much of which he can't really get down with yet: matching colors, putting the shapes in the correct places (each egg has a shape on the bottom that corresponds to its spot in the container), matching the facial expressions, and so on. There are also a surprising number of parts that spread across the floor when this is dumped over, so I've taken to only removing one or two and leaving the rest in the box for us to shake. BUT...he really likes them. He almost always has either a chickie or an eggshell in his hand or play area. He also likes to bang them together, and they're hilarious when they chirp. They're good for gnawing on and he just digs 'em.