Seven month update

Well here we are in February...Neil began his seven month on January 23rd.  So much has happened. Part of me wants to pick up where I left off, and another part just wants to leave a big gap there. I just looked back and realized I didn't even write about Christmas. Good lord...well...I suppose that's the reason...I just had to go help someone finish their nap...

Christmas was an exhausting whirlwind of extreme fun.  I don't think there could be a better holiday than your first baby's first Christmas.  Come on now.  He was held and doted on and loved up and snuggled down by all of his grandparents and got to play with his Uncle Mick.  We ate fondue at my parents' house. Man, I don't know why they want me to make it every year...I always drink wine and forget one thing or another.  This year I forgot to double the amount of wine, and the cheese ended up being really stringy, in a playfully funny way.  It provided some laughs and tasted great, so whatever. We spent Christmas morning at the Schweizers, and Christmas evening at the Corbetts.  We did end up having a White Christmas, and fireplaces and woodstoves were aglow.  Truly, it was a magical week spent close to family.  Neil was just starting to sit up, and he got lots of practice while playing with his myriad of toys.  He also spent an evening with his (generous) Ani, while we blew off some steam during a Phish show at MSG.

So then the whole month of January happened. I'd like to say that nothing exciting happened, but of course it did...however so small. 

At Neil's six month appointment his pediatrician suggested we get him a head xray (!) to make sure his plates weren't fusing shut too early (!).  So I spent a day schlepping around getting daycare sorted out and giving this poor kid to the not-so-friedly xray technicians.  He gave me a bewildered look at one point and I just couldn't imagine what it would be like to have to endure more than this one medical experience with your child.  The results were fine, but it was a stressful day.  I'm fine with not living that experience out again. 

We spent the rest of the month in flurries and frigid temperatures here.  Neil has tried bananas, avocados, carrots, mangos, sweet potatoes, squash, rice cereal and applesauce.  He is so not a big fan of avocado and lukewarm to the rest. Sometimes he's real into stuff and other times he snubs the spoon.  He's sitting without assistance now, and endures less and less topples as the days go on.  He LOVES Doug and gives him a big smile.  I'm hearing a lot of DA DA DA DA DA especially when he is tired or whiny.  Since he has started at Apple House he has had a lot of sniffles and coughs, so we recently bought this humidifier to help alleviate sickness symptoms.  His room does feel a lot better now.  I'm happy with the product so far too, as it is not made with BPA or phthalates. Neil is also taking baths in the "big boy" bath tub....the enormous clawfoot cast iron tub.  We might need a smaller baby bath tub to put inside this thing...it's just too much water for one small nugget!

I guess that's it really.  Colin has been brewing and I have been enjoying the balance of work and staying home.  I like my work, teaching kids about the great outdoors, and I really want Neil to see/understand that women are capable of doing more than staying in the home and taking care of children (even though mothering is the hardest, most rewarding, hardest, best job of all).  I feel like this sounds snarky but by no means is it meant to be. Stay at home moms rule. And so do working moms.

Ok. I'm bouncing around.  I'll have plenty to write about in the coming days.  I'm just going to have to do a better job of sitting down to blog regularly. On tap this weekend is Chowderfest and the Superbowl, and next week my parents are visiting.  So that's lots of eats and good times awaiting us! Photo time!