Jenny: September 2007 Archives
Occasionally we worry a bit about Ollie's development. Something about the fact that he was brain damaged at birth and the neurologist said at one point he might be developmentally delayed. Later they declared him fine, but, you know. Also, he's not really crawling or walking like some of his peers. Which would be fine. Except for the brain damage thing. And my paranoia.
Anyway.
According to this test developed by the University of Eugene, Ollie's development is right on track.
This makes us happy. It just turns out the babies he hangs out with are all freaking over achievers. But, like I keep saying, Ollie is just channeling all of his development into being freaking gorgeous.
Also, Ollie and I were singing in the grocery store today. Our song goes, "AHHHHHH. AHHHHHHH. AHHHHHHH. AHHHHHHH." Henry and Steph also sing this song in the car. I try to harmonize with Ollie, but he can't be relied on to hold the same pitch.
Ollie also gave me about a million and seven kisses today. I am such a lucky girl to get so many sweet gooey kisses from my baby boy.
Well, Ollie is moving towards eating solid foods. Not the baby kind of solid food, ie pureed stuff, but actual solid chunks of food. We've started with the previously mentioned Organic Teddy Puffs, which don't dissolve quickly, but involve chewing. He's doing pretty well with them. I still freak out when he gags or chokes, but I try to restrain myself because I know that's a natural part of learning to chew and swallow. I have to let him figure it out.
We also bought our plane tickets for England. Yay! Not that we have the money for them, but it will be so much fun to see Ben, Fiona, Simon, Fiona's parents, etc. And we're going to Animal Kingdom in October. Someday a very pissed off Ollie is going to be like, why did you take me to Colonial Williamsburg, Disney World, and England all before I could remember it? And we'll be like, well, it just kinda worked out that way. Sorry dude.
Eric and I were so tired last night from our work. We pulled up all the tile, ceramic and vinyl, and hauled it to the curb. I ripped off the old fencing and installed most of the new (four boards short dammit). We were really, really tired.
Also because Ollie spent Saturday night shrieking any time someone put him down.
So we gave in. The next thing we knew our eight month old was eating organic teddy puffs and staring, slack jawed, eyes full of amazement at Britney Spear's sucky opening to the VMA's.
We tried to make sure to interact with him and the TV ("that's Sarah Silverman baby. She's famous cause she's pretty and crude, but she's never funny." "That man goes by Fiddy Cent sweetheart, he was shot nine times.") but we knew it was wrong.
Of course my nipple has a big scab on it where he bit me, so the wrong goes both ways.
Today was better. I explained more thoroughly about the food situation and he drank all his milk. It was easier for me to leave him (though not easy) and I got work done. I had a nice lunch with Sarah. Well, it was nice to talk to Sarah, I'm not so sure about the quality of food we're feeding our undergrads in the dorms.
He smiled when I picked him up.
It's not fun, but it does seem to be getting easier.
Well, sweet boy, apparently worn out from your day care adventures you slept last night from 12 to 5 am. Your parents are very thankful.
Today you are exactly 8 months old. That means it's time to write my semi-monthly letter to you! I hope someday you read them all in your baby book and know how much I have always loved you.
Well, today was the day.
It figures that Ollie was sleeping peacefully and quietly at 7 am when the alarm went off. I mean, he woke up at six am the last five or six days in a row when we had no reason to be up that early, why not choose to sleep in the day we had to get up?
He and I got there and there was a flurry of activity as I tried to learn where everything went and how to do it. Though they were very nice and friendly, I wish they had been a little clearer and more helpful for me on what to do and how to do it. A lot of it seems second nature for them and I couldn't figure it all out correctly.
I got everything more or less sorted and fed Ollie and then left. He was playing with the teacher when I left and didn't even notice me going. I sat down outside to put my shoes on and saw him in there and I cried. I told you I'd be the wuss not him.
Then I went to school. I talked the FAL into letting me store milk in their freezer. I did some work. Not as much as I would have liked, but some. I had lunch with Chase. At three I gave up and went to get him.
So apparently he had a pretty good day. He watched bubbles outside and enjoyed that. She said he was very observant all day, which is typical Ollie. She also said that he was easily comforted by anyone holding him, which she thought was nice. I thought it was... umm... good, but made me feel disposable. They also said they got him to take an hour and forty minute nap. How in god's name did they do that?
On the downside, I guess I didn't explain his eating well enough. They only gave him five ounces of milk total, but 1 and a half jars of baby food and a bunch of juice. I will have to stress that he get all 10 ounces of milk each day before any other kind of food because milk is the most calorically dense and he needs his calories. He was very hungry when I picked him up.
It was ok. We will probably be ok. I will get work done. I will have lunch with colleagues and friends like a grown-up. I will graduate. I will get a job that pays real money. I will just miss my baby something fierce.
