I keep looking at the screen, not knowing what and how much to write. I think the most I'll say, the most I want to remember about this week, is that our family lost a good friend. He will be missed, dearly.
Miles had his pediatric visit on Monday. He's up to the 7th percentile in weight. I think we'll stick with our pediatrician. She also said he's the youngest baby she's seen walking! That's exciting!
He's getting more serious about walking. He's steadier and can take more steps this week. I think he'll be running around before we know it.
I think that's all I've got in me this week. Here's our favorite little guy:
Miles hates being carried facing in. He's awake
in this picture; he's just silently protesting.
We made a blanket fort!
It was big enough that we could all fit inside!
Miles eventually grew weary of it...
...and destroyed it.
Just hanging out on the wall.
Miles has learned to play with the cats...
by stealing their toys and swinging them around.
Oh yeah. We got a piano this week.
Hello!
I can pet the cat!
Little dude is totally in to Elmo.
Also, we have become very lazy parents.
Before we decided to get pregnant I thought long and hard about whether I really wanted children. They're a lot of work. And there have been times since Miles was born that I was nervous about taking care of him by myself. When Lucas is at work it's often in the evenings and evenings tend to be babies' worst times. Recently, though, I feel like taking care of Miles is so much fun. He's interested in everything and when he's grumpy it's usually just for a little while. His giggle is probably my favorite thing in the world.
Maybe I'm saying this because we had such a good day today at swim lessons and hanging out with friends. If I recall correctly I did make Lucas come home from work early on Wednesday because I was exhausted, had back pain, and Miles wouldn't go back to sleep after he woke up the first time in the evening.
Lucas and I are both really looking forward to Miles starting to talk. He seems like he's closer now than ever before to saying "mama" and "dada." I mean, what's left to do once he's mastered walking, except talking? He's even closer being able to really walk now; he's more confident with his steps and has moved himself 3-4 feet a few times.
It's the more subtle things about Miles that amaze me. Like how he always looks for the cat when he can't see him anymore (and often finds him). He'll be standing by a table in his room, the cat was there and now can't be seen. Miles will duck down, head cocked to the side, look under the table and squeal in delight for having found the cat.
Sometimes it's Miles' persistence that makes me smile. He's not one to leave a problem half fixed. If the problem is that the wash cloths are in the basket and really they belong on the floor, then you better believe that every last wash cloth is on the floor before he's done. He's clever, he works hard at puzzles, and he finds solutions, even if they're not the most efficient ones.
After months of agonizing over what potential effects Miles' weight might have on his development, I can finally say I'm at peace with it. He's simply perfect.
Here's our little cutie pie this week:
At the aquarium, making friends with dolphins.
Miles would like to reach the cat.
He thinks his foot will do the job.
Hello!
Wherever he goes, chaos follows.
Bath hair!
There were some nice days this week.
Miles and his friend Frankie. Who knew they were swingers?
Yeah. That's a 3-6month sized outfit on our 9 month old.
The good news: the gate at the top of the stairs is finally installed. The bad news: it happened after I let Miles fall down the stairs. I guess let is not quite the right word. It's not like I was in a different part of the house or that I encouraged him to play at the top of the stairs. It was Tuesday night, Lucas had just left for band practice. I was down the hallway from Miles. I was looking in a closet, trying to pack for our trip away this weekend. And then, he's so fast, he made a bee line for the top of the stairs. And I yelled "No!" and he thought it was funny, and he kept going. I saw his little hand reach out, trying to feel for the floor, but all it felt was air. And then, his whole tiny body tipping forward and tumbling down. And I watched it happen, running toward him, watching his rag doll body tumble over and over until he hit the floor at the bottom. I'm screaming, he's crying. What an awful mess.
I scooped him up so fast. I called Lucas to come home, "He fell down the entire length of the staircase. We need to go to the hospital." And as I waited for Lucas to get home, Miles calmed, stopped crying. I changed his diaper and his clothes. I held him and made a bottle. And by the time Lucas got home he was the same old Miles, if not a bit dazed.
And at the ER they examined him and he smiled and waved and played. He had a bruise on his head, above his right eyebrow. But otherwise, no broken bones, not even any other bruises. The doctors told us that this type of fall is similar to taking 15 one foot falls. Not too serious for Miles' body and head. It would've been a bigger deal if he had taken one 15 foot fall. We were sent home with diagnosis of "contusion," aka bruise.
The guilt of it all is just overwhelming. It's eased a bit since that night because I've talked to people about how I let this happen. Inevitably, the response is always a story about their mistakes as parents, their child's broken collarbone, the permanent scar on their son's chin, the toppled shopping cart, the first ER trip, the seventh and tenth trip to the ER. It became clear that this is just one of many, many mistakes I'll make as a parent. With a little boy as active and busy as ours, I'm sure this is not the last time I'll be bringing him to the hospital.
Now I can only see the faint olive color of his bruise. He seems to be no worse for the wear. He's working on his next big milestone: walking. He has taken several coordinated steps, 10 at most. And he's giggled and played and smiled. I think it will take some time before the guilt really dissipates. At least until he gets into his first choice Ivy League.
Here's our bruised little man this week:
Did you hear? The Ravens won the Super Bowl!
Baby Bowl! Brooks, Frankie and Miles.
Frankie and Miles
Miles and Frankie
Brooks, Miles and Frankie
I see you.
Taking things out of where they belong
is no longer just for plastic bags anymore.
We went on a ski trip this weekend.
Despite not so great conditions, Lucas still skied all day on Friday.
Miles and I hung out at the condo.
We spent some time in the hall, chewing on keys.
Staring at the pool.
Looking out the window.
Watching icicles form.
For the grand finale this week: Video of Miles walking!
With mobility comes a broader, more interesting world. One that needs to be explored, touched, stared at... messed with. "Don't touch my stuff" may be Miles' first sentence as he must hear this phrase a dozen or more times a day. He is currently playing with Lucas' CPAP machine tubing while Lucas tries to hold him off without leaving the comfort of bed. This kid is into everything.
His new favorite activity is taking all of the plastic bags out of our bottom drawer.
Plastic bags, plastic bags.
The aftermath
The culprit
It wasn't me.
When you get one in each hand you can wave them around.
Same stuff, different day
Yesterday, he and his friend Frankie found the pots and pans cabinet. And unloaded the toy basket.
Pots, pans, spoons and toys. BABY PARTY!
He doesn't really think that books belong on shelves.
They belong in my mouth!
Sometimes he helps to clean up but he somehow gets it wrong.
Mirrors create new best friends...
HELLO!
High five!
... and make out partners.
Oh, hello.
Laundry hamper lids are the new teeter-totter.
Miles is on the brink of walking. That brink may last several weeks but he's recently taken a few tiny steps before falling down. Right now, crawling is much more efficient than this walking stuff so he only practices taking steps once or twice a day.
Here's some more of our little scientist this week:
