miss you, daddy.

musings.

Hmmm...I wonder why Henry awoke shortly after this picture was taken???

Note: I did not take this picture.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See the shadow? I was peeking in through the door.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Henry has the munchies....

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This picture is a new favorite. Such a sweet face.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. 10. 75.

Even though Little Man grew 2 inches (to a wopping 26 1/4 inches) in the past three months, he is still in the 5th percentile for height. Yes, I laughed out loud. And, I didn't even question the nurse about the missing zero. I immediately understand this time around, that is was just a plain 5. Not a 50.

He weighs 17lbs and 4oz. Which puts in the 10th percentile for weight. He hasn't even gained a whole pound in the past 3 months. Ha! Maybe he'll chunk up a little more now that he is showing actual interest in real food. But, then again, maybe he won't. His mama and his daddy have always been on the scrawny side, so it only seems natural that he would follow suit.

I can hear my mother in the background...."but, what about his head??" Yes, Mama, his head is in the 75th percentile. I know, I know. It's big.

Big Little Man

Henry celebrated his 9 month birthday yesterday, May 17. It was a small affair -- fried eggs, cheerios, water in a sippy cup and a 2 hour long Dearman family late afternoon nap.

As you can see, Little Man has developed quite a few very strong opinions........

Henry loves:

• waking up at 5:30 am on the dot every single day.
• his morning nap no later than 8 am.
• wearing super cute outfits every day (well, maybe that's what his mama likes....)
• running around the house in his walker and walking behind his push toy.
• cackling at our cat, Jimmy.
• swinging on the front porch and watching small town life in action.
• picking up and attempting to eat his finger foods.
• cruising around the coffee table and kitchen chairs.
• bathtime in the kitchen sink while chewing on his baby toothbrush.
• our daily stroll around the neighborhood and campus with his daddy.
• the two girls I keep after school.
• going to sleep early and sleeping through the night.
• going to the Farmer's Market and getting lots of compliments.
• having his mama in sight at all times.
• reading and chewing on Brown Bear Brown Bear.
• playing with his daddy.

Henry hates:

• spoons with food.
• getting his diaper changed and putting on clothes, aka "baby torture."
• losing sight of his mama.
• playing by himself for more than 5 minutes at a time.
• not being able to eat our "National Geographic" magazines.

All in all, he is a happy baby who is still very easy to console and entertain. Seperation anxiety has hit pretty hard during the past few weeks -- he wants me to hold him while he plays with Taylor -- it's funny how our roles are already so clearly defined in his life.
He loves us and we love him!!!!
His 9 month appointment is Wednesday. I am going to laugh out loud if he is still in the 5th percentile for height!!!

five minutes in photos.

P.S. - I mourn the day he is too big for to wear bubbles.

go. go. go.

Our little man has preferred to be upright since the ripe old age of 5 weeks...

.....but now, he is no longer satisfied just hanging out on daddy's lap or clinging to the coffee table.

Now, he wants to go. go. go. at all times!!

num yummy.

Although Henry still believes that a spoon loaded with food and aimed toward his mouth is a reason to cry and shake his head 'no', he is now more than willing to pick up real people food and attempt to feed himself. Here he demonstrates his newfound skills with his mama's yummy red beans and rice.

He might not let me feed him but thankfully, he willingly allows me to wash his hands without a fight!

Just doing what babies are supposed to do.....

I'll help you, Mama....

Gardening and Babywearing...

Our small garden is officially planted -- we will have okra, beans, peppers, squash, tomatoes and plenty of other things that I have already forgotten about. Our big garden is still staked out and the little seedlings are itching to get out of their little plastic home and into the ground.....

I love fresh vegetables from my backyard and yes, I love a newly weeded vegetable garden, but I do not love getting all hot and dirty and I have entirely too many lower back issues to bend over for an extended period of time. I prefer to sit on the back steps and watch Taylor. I call it 'moral support.'

FYI: This is a dirt pile. Not our garden.

Dinosaur Chicken:

ATTACK!!!

Cotton District Arts Festival

I just realized that I never did post these pictures.....Lizbeth and David, we loved your visit!!!

I got it!

Look! I have 4 teeth....

Over the past several months, I have frequently commented on Henry's refusal to eat pureed foods, his pursed lips and his tears. It was very frustrating trying different flavors, textures, spoons, and locations around the house to no avail. His pediatrician agreed that an 8month old baby should most definitely be eating food.

Enter Jamie: occupational therapist and my new favorite person. She completely validated all my worries and concerns and is convinced that Henry will not only eat but he will enjoy solids very soon.

After a quick evaluation in which he cried when approached with the foody spoon, she began developing a plan to introduce him to the joys of food. Since he has an aversion to all things food, I now smear purees on his hard plastic toys. This forces him to encounter the ickiness on his hands and eventually get some of the flavor in his mouth. At first, he simply threw those toys on the ground in lieu of a clean toy but now he puts the foody toys in his mouth again and again until all sign of the puree are gone.

Progress!

He is also happily eating apples in the mesh self feeder that terrorized him just a few weeks ago!

And, he will pick up and eat puffs dipped in purees.

Jamie's worst case scenario? He will be feeding himself food from a spoon in less than a month.

Best case scenario? He allow me to feed him from the spoon when we are in public.

She also commented on his need to control what goes on around him.

Do I hear "I do it myself" in my future, or what?

Meme and Pops:

I don't think we could have taken a better farewell photo.

We love you!!!

Chillin' like a baby villain...

Last weekend was great with Lizbeth, David, and Baby Martha visiting. We admired our babies alot, talked about the same things we talk about on the phone everyday, and just enjoyed each other's company. We so enjoyed their visit that Taylor hit them up to buy the house next door to us....sounds like a good idea to me!!!

It was very relaxing holding a baby that doesn't try to catapult off your lap.

Henry was definitely intrigued with the bouncy seat that he would have nothing to do with 6 months ago....

This is what happens when you want to figure out what is underneath the bouncy seat......

Say what? 8 months already?

I am 8 months old today. My mama and daddy both had to think for a minute to decide if I was 3/4 of a year old or 2/3 of a year old but they quickly sorted through that 3rd grade math and realized that I am 2/3 of a year old today! Wow. I think that I can already hear my little bitty baby joints creaking with my old age.

Let me tell you what I have been up to lately:

** I live to stand up. Lately, I have been getting very brave and I try to grab a toy with both hands at the same time. 2 hands on the toy means no hands for balance. So, if nobody is holding on to me, I usually stand for about 3 seconds before I fall on my behind. Or my face. Or my head.

** I am still not eating ANY solids. My mama started googling and realized that I might need some help figuring out this whole solid food eating business. I now have a very sweet occupational therapist, Jamie, who is very patiently trying to make me believe that food is a wonderful thing. I haven't been convinced yet.

** I am teething like a maniac. There might be more than 4 teeth in my mouth but my mama isn't brave enough to stick her finger in my mouth long enough to explore and I still can't count. So, who knows?

** My new favorite chew toy is a metal coaster. My daddy doesn't think that I should chew on metal but my mama always gives it to me when he isn't around. I love it.

**I am also enjoying a little freedom with my walker from Great Aunt Cindy. Her grandbabies loved it and so do I. But, watch out! I get stuck under the table and love to pull down the kitchen chairs onto my head. I sure do wish someone would teach me how to back out of a corner.

**I keep hearing my mama talk about how tiny I am, but I am pretty sure that she has me mixed up with another baby. I completely fill out my 9 month footed sleepers and have been wearing lots of 6-12 and some 12 months summer clothes.

**Nighttime sleep is no longer my enemy. Now, I sleep 12 hours STRAIGHT at night.

Everynight. If I cry at night, I am back asleep in less than 3 minutes. Not bad for a reformed insomniac, huh?? Naps are a different matter. But, we won't touch that evil subject on this pleasantly themed post.

**My favorite thing to do during the day is swing on the front porch and watch all the cars, people, and dogs that go by our house. I like it almost as much as television that I get to watch at other people's houses!!!

Family Easter.

Kids.

Easter egg dyeing contest.

Danny's ribs -- the best I've ever had. Thank you very much.

Desserts.

Taylor's funny family.

Laughing.

Crazy stories shared.

Big breakfast.

A vision of Heaven complete with crowns and chocolate.

10 straight hours of sleep in the pack-n-play!!

Best of all?

Knowing that my little Henry is there to experience it all!!

Thanks Betty for his precious outfit!!!

Yay for Easter happies!

Apparently, I missed all the photo ops but Taylor and Henry sure do look good together.

MSU Easter Egg Hunt.

We began our Easter festivities with Hope and 3 of her 4 children at the MSU President's House Easter Egg Hunt (should all of that be in caps? not sure...)

Of course, as a first time mother I had never heard of such an event but apparently I was the only one unfamiliar with the tradition. The place was hopping (!) with small children, Easter eggs, and those cakey cookies with icing on top from Wal-Mart. Yum.

Henry feel asleep in the car on the 3 minute drive to campus and slept for the duration of the hunt. But, the day was not wasted for Hope's kids. As soon as I heard that each age group had a silver and golden egg hidden, my little eyes started searching and scanning for the big prize eggs. Lo and behold, they weren't too
difficult to spot in the 0-2 age group hunt. As soon as the hunt began, I quickly guided Watkins to the silver egg! He was pretty pumped when they handed him a Easter basket filled with junk that make kids happy. Phelps, however, thought that if her twin won a prize that she deserved one as well. Too bad, I wasn't quick enough to sprint her over to the golden egg. Maybe next year.....

How to: Make Your Own Baby Food

Vegetable. Or fruit.

Cook.

Food process.

Flexible ice cube tray.

Freeze.

Remove.

Ziploc bags.